Azur Lane : The Iberian Dilemma
by willilamotte
Summary: The Royal Navy is in need of close allies in the darkest hours after the fall of the Iris Orthodoxy. Their east out of danger for now, Queen Elizabeth turns her attention towards the neutral "Unión Ibérica" in the west, their last counter against the Vichya Dominion. The flagship España is clear on her allegiance, but her ideals are not shared by everyone...
1. The Meeting at Madrid

**EL GRAN CISMA**

_Palacio Nacional_, Madrid

Hood, Queen Elizabeth, Warspite, Barham, Cairo and Belfast were on a routine visit to the Unión Ibérica where strategic gains where to be made after the fall of the Iris Orthodoxy and the declaration of war of the Sardegnian Empire. Their last Western ally happened to have the strategic ports of Ceuta and Cadìz close by. They couldn't afford to lose Gibraltar.

In the tearoom, Hood sipped calmly the unflavored tea. Hours earlier, she had inflicted huge losses to the Vichia Dominion at _Mers-el-Kébir_. She didn't want to repeat the same action that had soured the Royal Navy's reputation around the globe. This time, Queen Elizabeth made it her mission to meet the Iberian fleet in a cordial matter.

The battleship Espana and Jaime I entered the room followed by Alfonso XIII, Reina Victoria Eugenia and the heavy cruisers Baleares and Canarias and the light cruiser Afonso de Albuquerque and Bartolomeu Dias. Hood put down the teacup and presented herself in the utmost royal way. Her overly politeness was to alleviate any hostile doubt they would harbor against her.

The smiling Espana them to relax like they were in their own home. She reiterated her will to be friendly toward the Royal Navy. This sentiment was shared by her sister Jaime I. Alfonso XIII stayed on the fence. As for Reina Victoria Eugenia, she remained loyal to Alfonso who pressured her construction and service against the Sirens during the Great War.

Espana had her garrison cap with the symbol of the _Armada Ibérica_ fleet on it: A crown sits atop an anchor with a fish spiraling around the shank. Her loosen hair of a mulberry purple did not reached her elbows.

"I hope our informal alliance hasn't been broken," said Queen Elizabeth.

"Now, with the fall of the Iris Orthodoxy and their violent separation, we can't lie and say we will sit for the remainder of the war. I just hoped we can get something in exchange for our support. Sirens and Ironbloods submarines have been lurking around these water. My concerns are the cruisers Deutschland and Admiral Scheer who were spotted last night in the Bay of Biscay. I have dispatched some light cruisers to Bilbao as screen. Let's hope nothing happen on this front."

"It wouldn't make sense if they attack you now," commented Hood. "I'm pretty sure they want to settle this diplomatically after the complete failure that was the Iris Orthodoxy campaign for us. This would be their bargaining asset, but I hope you don't fall to the bait that easily."

Alfonso XIII intervened venomously, "And you say you can defend us against the Sirens when you are all alone now! When you have destroyed your own friends! You have no right to speak to us about loyalty."

"Common Alfonso!" said Espana. "As the flagship, we agreed to be courteous with our Royal Navy friends in a vote."

"Sorry that I am intrusive, but this girl gets on my nerve."

Hood didn't flinch. She kept her undaunted smile. Alfonso was about to unsheathe the rapier of Reina Victoria Eugenia when Eugenia herself blocked her hands and asked her to show manners to the guest. Eugenia's expressionless gaze highlighted her yellow irises to which she couldn't refuse. Alfonso grudgingly accepted.

"Sorry for this little interruption," expressed Jaime I, "but we can get back to the manners at hand."

"Thank you, Jaime," said Espana. "In the end, it still concerns Ceuta and the Azores?"

"Bingo!" said the Queen. "Right now, Sardignian, Ironblood and Sirens submarines are wreaking havoc on our supply lines to the Eagle Union. Your immediate cooperation or your neutrality would be greatly appreciated to our strategic positions."

"And we are glad to help!" insisted Espana. "Unfortunately, if we give you the control already, we are going to have problems with our neighbors, the Vichya Dominion whose intentions are clear. They will collaborate with Ironblood and the Sirens who have their eyes set on us in the west and the Österreich Kingdom and the Hellenic Republic in the east of the Mediterranean. As the pivot point in the survival of Gibraltar, Malta, Alexandria and the Atlantic, we promise our support in the next days!"

"And please, don't pull a sneaky on us like the Sardignians did," commented Warspite.

The Queen intervened with a flustered attitude, "That was unnecessary Warspite!"

"Take back these words! We are loyal to the core!" vociferated Alfonso whose thick eyebrows were about to take life.

"Alfonso! Alfonso! You must understand their situation. It is grim and without our help, we might lose the freedom we acquired years earlier."

"Freedom!? You are quite the one to talk about that. The right to express one self's opinions doesn't make you or me free!"

"Keep these discussions out of the room," indicated the emotionless Reina Victoria Eugenia.

"It is quite unstable around here," noted Barham. "The Sardignians seemed to show a more united front."

"Hehe," said Jaime I with an uncertain smile. "Alfonso and Espana are the cute friends who always battle for who's right."

"That's not true!" they shouted in unison.

Their discussion ended with a friendly conversation where Alfonso decided to stay out of it. She hated Espana's chill attitude in times of war. She hated even more that this sister of her seemed to believe the Queen blindly. If their country was to be ruined by their blind sister, she had to intervene, but she didn't know how.

Eugenia's gaze looked at the older generation battleship with curiosity in her eyes. Alfonso's every face movement revealed her malicious intents. Around the room, the atmosphere was cheerful and calm, but the shy and expressionless Eugenia saw through the _façade_ and it made her worried.

In both cases, Eugenia knew that, even with their modernization, it would be impossible to resist either the Sirens or the Azur Lane without proper help. When their allegiance would be called for, two responses would be given. An event out of everyone's control would unfold. An event she felt like had already happened would happen again amongst them. It would tear them apart like paper. A split that would further damage their unhealed wounds. A battle between Espana's hope in Azur Lane and Alfonso's damaged ego and pride. A scission so great it would disrupt the balance in the Mediterranean and play a major role in the ongoing war.

Eugenia just doesn't know how to speak her mind. She was both indebted to Alfonso's decision and the will of the Royal Navy to finish her during the Great War. She was lost.

* * *

**Disclaimer:**

**1) I will release one new chapter every Sunday until finished.**

**2) Iberian Union = Portuguese Navy + Spanish Navy**

**3) If you are an artist by any chance, I would be please to see what you come up with for Iberian designs :)**

**4) Thank you for reading!**

**5) Update August 1, 2020 : corrected some mistakes and story inconsistencies for this chapter**


	2. Backhand Deals in Gran Canaria

_Gran Canaria, Islas Canarias_

Three menacing silhouettes were approaching the docks of_ Gran Canaria_ in a dense fog. They had obtained safe passage with the diversion of Admiral Graf Spee who was going in the south Atlantic for convoy raiding operations, the Sardignian-Vichya raid on Gibraltar's tankers and eager collaborators escort…

Waiting for their guest was Alfonso XIII and the cruisers Canarias and Baleares. Both cruisers had defected from their home port in Barcelona. Espana, who was carefree, refused punishments to keep people in line. Still, Alfonso delegated Reina Victoria Eugenia to guard the port.

Deutschland's, Gneisenau's and Admiral Scheer's silhouette appeared. They were fully armed with their shark-like rigging which were searching for eventual eavesdroppers. Their suspicions vanished when they were together, and Alfonso showed signs of sympathy.

Alfonso wasn't negotiating for gains; she was trying to save her country she thought had gone the wrong path these last years. Now that the Sirens and the Vichya Dominion was knocking on their door, she would negotiate with the navy which had little objectives that would coincide with their future state building alongside the Sirens. Gneisenau appreciated her eager cooperativeness but didn't like her snobbish attitude akin to Littorio. Gneisenau went along and promised all her dreams would come true with Sirens technology.

"I guess you want your throne back too," said Deutschland with a snarky smile.

Alfonso replied with a deceive tone, "Yes. My sister Espana is just hopefully stupid with her ideals. Our little group will have to knock some sense back into her. As the future flagship, I will have to discipline her, my way."

"Dogs have to be discipline!"

"Deutschland," said Admiral Scheer, "contain your excitement."

"We will fight alongside you," said Baleares.

Canarias added, "We are tired of her incompetence. And Azur Lane are a bunch of clowns. We can only accept the inevitable defeat against the Sirens. Our divided high command wouldn't even be able to mount a coherent defense with Azur Lane's support."

They discussed further terms and the operation that would overthrow any Azur Lane's sympathy within the government. The Canary Islands showed already sympathetic signs with the free refueling of Admiral Graf Spee hours earlier. Alfonso XIII and Gneisenau decided to mount military operations against the Royal Navy after they had taken power of Madrid. Alfonso XIII promised their focus would be on Gibraltar and convoy raiding in the Atlantic. Their port of Palma would be of strategic importance in the Mediterranean.

For Alfonso XIII, it would be an easy takeover. After all, who would show any sympathy toward the Azur Lane Alliance after their failure to save the Iris Orthodoxy? Alfonso's confidence was shared by the heavy cruisers. She still had some worries.

"We will need some additional forces…"

[…]

Somewhere unworldly

"It seems something changed. Am I right, Tester?" asked Observer α.

Tester β made her way to the screen which Observer was constantly monitoring. Even with only one pair of eye, she seemed omnipotent of any development in the world over their heads. She expressed a certain satisfaction after the Sardegnians decided to join in the inevitable battle by doing some tricks. Now that the Österreich and Hellenic Navy was under scrutiny from both side, the western entrance of the Mediterranean could become the theater of another war that would further the development of mankind. Whichever side they chose wouldn't matter; their involvement was another key to unlock the true power of the Sardegna Empire. It would reduce Veneto's doubts and would make Littorio a little bit more ambitious.

Observer α laughed at such a prediction.

"Do you think the Iberian Unions don't have jewels of their own?" said the Observer.

"With Great War era battleships, even with modernization, they lack in strength and firepower."

"It seems you have already forgotten the '_Rome Games'_ years ago."

"There's so much simulations that I don't keep track of all of them," argued the Tester. "I only play with the parameters you remember?"

"It's true I have a godly memory," boasted the Observer. "That is why you will receive a history lesson. In time of scrapping, when they thought we were gone, they had to abide by a treaty of which these shipgirls thought unjust. Scrapped left and right. Amagi, Dante Aligheri, Leonardo di Vinci, Prinz Eugen (BB) and the list never ends. Luckily, the Iberian Union, with their small fleet, weren't hit by these terms. I digress. In these games, not only Dante Alighieri almost caused a fracture in time, Giulio Cesare, who was weaken by poison, inflicted a terrible defeat upon Littorio. She showed that technology doesn't mean everything."

The Tester laughed, then replied with an amused voice, "You sound so stupid! The anomaly wasn't Cesare, it was Littorio's ego who thought she was invincible! Feelings can't make you win. That's impossible!"

"But I think it is the key to further god's plan upon this world. Therefore, they are pumping commanders right and left! They want shipgirls to care about something other than a flag and colors. They must care about someone. This way, they will fight until the end for their loved one."

"You sound like romancer. Maybe your true name is Romancer α! Ahah!"

Observer α went back to her screen. She put her focus inside the _Palacio Nacional_ in Madrid where Espana was talking in hurry to a man in a white uniform. Observer α read their spirit like open books.

"The chaos we are searching is about to unfold right before my eyes!"

[…]

Iberian water

Weeks after the secret meeting with the Iberian Union, Belfast was escorting Ark Royal and King George V in Iberian's mandated water toward the next battlefield. While Queen Elizabeth, Warspite and Barham headed for Alexandria for their next meetings, Hood, Belfast and Cairo went back to Gibraltar to await further notice. Hood departed some time later to help Prince of Wales in the interception of Bismarck.

Sheffield along with five Tribals-class destroyers joined the battlegroup that would challenge the legendary Bismarck in the Atlantic before she reaches her naval base in Brest.

While the clouds darkened, a dense fog impaired their formations. King George V ordered a close formation. Belfast was covering their right flank. From the east, the shipgirl thought she saw three large and weird silhouette move in the opposite direction. These three silhouettes seemed unusually large. She went to inspect against King's George strict orders.

She collided with an Iberian cruiser.

"Ouch!" she screamed, "why no horn signals!"

Belfast quickly reacted and got the girl back on her feet.

"Sorry for my unexpected appearance, I thought I saw something."

The weird shades had disappeared.

"Not only are you not supposed to be there," said the destroyer following the light cruiser, "but you don't even follow fog's maritime protocols!"

"Excuse our trespassing on your water, but we needed to go as fast as possible to our target."

"What is happening there," asked King George V who finally found the scene of the ruckus.

Iberian destroyer Velasco and light Cruiser Navarra presented themselves and asked for their unusual presence.

"We got naval access from Espana herself, remember?"

She showed the papers to the duo. Navarra took the time to read slowly everything to be sure the papers were in order. They wanted to go fast, but Navarra seemed to be so slow. What was taking her so long!

"Now that you have asked why we are out," said Belfast. "It would be only politeness to tell us what you were doing this far out your bases…"

"We we're simply patrolling to see if our neutrality was being respected. Nothing else."

Belfast's instinct told her otherwise, but she didn't want to spark any international incident after the disaster that was _Mers-el-Kébir_. The cruiser Navarra and the destroyer Velasco disappeared in the fog towards the port of Lisbon.

King George V was too absorbed with their objective to notify Belfast's worries. Hood had been destroyed by a super-weapon hours earlier. They had no choice but to react to the threat.

Belfast thought, "But what if things unfolding in front of us are just a clever ruse…"

[…]

Cadìz, Iberian Union

"What is the matter, commander?" asked the light cruiser Libertad, stationed in the port with a part of the fleet.

The man was looking back at the town. He wore his admiral cap with the Iberian Navy insignia on the front. He had thick eyebrows and an immature mustache that covered his upper lips. The base was in a complete silence. This atmosphere contradicted too much with the boiling attitudes. He knew something was going to happen. He didn't know when, but the Carlists, the Sirens sympathizers and the Vichy dominion's propagandists were stirring up an already divided republic that was standing on a thread over a giant abyss. The commander of Libertad and their little fleet of Cadìz had already made his mind. Even if the ideals of the new republic were inevitably weak, he wouldn't stand beside the beasts called the Sirens who could devoured whenever they would feel like it.

Lost in his monologues, Libertad took his gloved hand.

"Tell me what is wrong…"

Libertad, the light cruiser, wore a beret that only fitted on her head by her long crimson hair. It formed like little streamers hanged from the ceiling. Her hair contrasted with her almond eyes of a dark green shade. Her easygoing attitude showed with her shirt and skirt barely her size like she just took them from the shelf at the shop because they looked good. At least, she could offer her shoulder and advice calmly to a commandant who seemed worried most of the time.

"We need to go back to Madrid," declared Miguel Buiza.

Libertad replied, "Are you sure it is a good time to go back? I know Espana won't punish us if we leave this base open but abusing someone's trust isn't good."

"I think we won't come have the time to come back here."

Libertad thought he was worried for nothing. The commander now starred at the glaring smoke that was starting to cover the ocean in front of them. What was that fog?


	3. Preparation

"What is happening, god?"

Madrid was on fire. The _Palacio Nacional _was the theater of fierce hand-to-hand combat. Bombers with the Ironblood eagle dropped thousands of tons of bombs on buildings. Vichya Dominion soldiers disembarked from their craft and were searching capturing vital points in the city. Ironblood mass-produced ship bombarded the port where a shipgirls battle was unfolding. Espana, Jaime I, the cruiser Blaz de Lezo and their destroyers were battling Alfonso XIII, Reina Victoria Eugenia, the Canarias-class, their destroyers and Ironblood pocket battleships.

Onboard a craft, on the side of Alfonso, Commander Buiza saw the admiral of the Iberian Navy.

"What is Luis doing? …"

Days before Operation _Isabella_, Port of Palma

"It seems Gneisenau wasn't lying," said Alfonso XIII.

"I would have preferred not depleting myself of ships at such a moment now that we are at war with Azur Lane. But your help will help us in the end. All I am asking is that you don't put your nose in our ambitions," asked Littorio.

The battleship Littorio had bring four destroyers along with two submarines to help grow the rebellion's number against the Azur Lane countless ships. The four destroyer saluted their new flagship.

"Destroyer Guglielmo Pepe! At your service."

"I am Alessandro Poerio! Pleased to meet you"

"I am Destroyer Aquila!"

"Falco, destroyer of the Vifor-class!"

Alfonso XIII examined her new destroyers with suboptimal equipment. She would have to do with it because she knew Littorio wouldn't give her better. Some were better than nothing. In order, she renamed them Teruel, Huesca, Melilla and Ceuta. For the submarine, she went fast and renamed them after generals: General Mola and General Sanjurjo. These new reinforcement would complement their new state she decided to call _Confederación Ibérica Roja_ which would be part of the Red Axis from the get-go.

Littorio departed in the night along with her escort. Alfonso XIII was left with Reina Victoria Eugenia who followed her every movement. In their dark room, Alfonso was illuminated by a single candle. She was writing orders to the ships in the different part of the Iberian Union. She was calling them to arm under her banner. To join arms in the rebellion against the central government. On the border, Ironblood and Vichya troops were ready to invade and neutralize any resistance. Alfonso thought it would not even be necessary. If Espana is outnumbered, she will have but no choice to surrender. Alfonso was hoping Espana wouldn't be stubborn.

A man entered the room. He was to be the new commander of the _Confederación Ibérica Roja_ Fleet.

"Admiral Luis Carrero Blanco, it is an honor to have you on board. You decided to come with us?"

Admiral Luis Blanco wore a classical white uniform of the navy.

"The republic is doomed with Espana's leadership. It saddens me."

Ironblood Advanced Headquarters, Brest, occupied Iris territory

Gneisenau, Admiral Scheer and Deutschland came back to their base where Scharnhorst was waiting patiently. U-556, her pack and the carrier Graf Zeppelin were waiting for further instructions.

"We should wait for Bismarck to return from her mission before we try anything dangerous."

"What happened with the Iberians?" asked Scharnhorst, "Can they be trusted?"

"Alfonso XIII promised me they would take power but couldn't count on all of them."

"Their flagship Espana is stubborn I suppose?"

"Not that it matters. Vichya and Sardegnian forces are ready to intervene when Alfonso will give the signal."

"Should we go now?" asked Scharnhorst.

"Like I said, let's wait for Bismarck to return."

Gneisenau released her rigging and went into the base. She had a meeting with the high command to attend.

Meanwhile, Scharnhorst authorized U-556 and some of her wolfpack West to go on the hunt.

Port of Cagliari

Littorio had made it back to her own territory under the cover of friendly dive bombers. The Royal Navy was focused on something she didn't know. She wanted to take it as an omen, but she knew that her sister Vittorio Veneto, wouldn't act in this moment she felt like was their opportunity to seize Malta fast. Unfortunately for her, Veneto, with the upcoming operation against the Österreich and the Hellenic Navy, wanted to make sure that these first decisive operation goes as plan to prove to the Ironblood that they were worth it. Their reputation seemed above strategic movements.

Carabiniere and Corazziere, who had been guarding Littorio for the ride, were asked to go back to the Città Eterna to informed Veneto about the successful help to their soon to be ally in the west. Still, Littorio was annoyed by their participation in the war. Not that she thought they could rival them at the negotiating table, but by the fact Alfonso XIII might have ambitions that coincide with her own.

Littorio was left thinking in the port of Cagliari where she was fueling up. The two destroyers disappeared on the horizon. Littorio thought about the small force they would send to help their ally. Would it suffice? Would they take the island of Gibraltar? This success would surely be more resounding than the win over Malta. Littorio didn't want to give any amount of unnecessary prestige to their ally. If someone was to take Gibraltar, it would be them! They would do it with the help of the Iberian fleet, not the other way around.

A bulb lights up over her head.

They just send the reserve that wouldn't take part in the first battles against the Österreich and the Hellenic Navy. Littorio smiled. A cunning plan was born in her head and the Ironblood wouldn't even see it. Her face created unease among the workers at the oil pump.

"Are you alright, Littorio?" asked one.

She said a short "yes". They wouldn't understand it anyway.

_Palacio Nacional_, Madrid

Espana isolated herself in her flagship office. In complete silence, she waited for news from different parts of the country. She was worried something was happening behind her back. After her sister lack of respect toward the rules, she hesitated to administer the punishment. She even went as far as defending her in front of the admiral of the Iberian fleet. She refused to believe some of them would trust Ironblood empty promises. Against her will, she was ready to announce their allegiance to Azur Lane. The microphone was in front of her. On the click of a button, she would be able to transfer her voice to the people of Iberia.

"Why are you not pressing it?" asked Jaime I who entered silently.

"I don't want to be the sparks who lights the barrel."

"If the barrel is destined to explode, how do you intend on stabilizing it?"

Espana had no plan. She even thought she had no one left with her. She wanted to give up. She wanted to let Alfonso lead the fleet because her sister seemed better suited for the task. She looked at the city engulfed by the night. She was seeing it light up by balls of flames and cries. If she didn't act, the city would finish in flames and in the palms of unworthy individuals. But what could she do about it …?

"You are not alone Espana," pronounced the light cruiser Blaz de Lezo.

She turned around.

Jaime I let the eavesdroppers enter in the room. The defenders of Madrid, numbering one light cruiser and six destroyers, Sánchez Barcáiztegui, José Luis Díez, Almirante Ferrándiz, Alcalá Galiano, Churruca and Almirante Valdes. Dressed in their ceremonial uniform of a combination of red, yellow and brown, they seemed ready to go in battle.

"Espana, we will fight beside you!" promised Churruca.

"We will defend the people of this land together," added Ferrándiz.

"Let us fight like our ancestors did in _Cartagena de Indias_!" acclaimed Blaz de Lezo. "This time, we will push Ironblood and their puppets out of our sacred lands! We won't surrender easily".

The flagship was taken aback by the determination of her own fleet. She smiled. They would fight them on land, on sea and in the air. They would push them back to Berlin if necessary. The republic's ideas rested on their shoulder.

Espana pronounced, "My friend, I am impressed by your dedication to our valiant cause. We shall fight the oppressors whoever they might be. We shall help in the creation of a world without Syren or the Red Axis warmongers. _Adelante!_"

They answered in unison, _"Plus Ultra!_"


	4. Rupture

"It seems some noses don't know where they belong," said Deutschland.

The admiral with a white coat, Blanco, saw the cruiser Libertad alongside the commander Miguel Buiza on his gunboat. Their intentions were clear.

"It seems we have additional rebels," commented the admiral on top of his E-boat.

"It seems not a lot of your fleet answered our call!" taunted Deutschland.

"Not that it matters. We have the best ships and the strategical advantage."

Coming like a storm from the north, the Vichya Dominion's soldiers had already occupied the city and neutralized most of the defenders left in the palace. The dive bombers started focusing their attention on the brawl between Espana's remnants and Alfonso's armada. They were officially, since midnight, fighting under two distinct banners:

Alfonso and the _Red Confederation of Iberia_ (Confederación Ibérica Roja) helped by the admiral of the Iberian Fleet.

Espana and the _Popular Iberian Front_ (Frente Popular Ibérica).

At sea, the line in the north were blockaded. Any ship on sight was sunk by Ironblood ships. In the south, the battleship Dunkerque was aided by their reinforcement from the Sardignian navy. Buiza saw the risk of encirclement. While Espana was busy bombarding her sister, the commander sent her a message.

"Espana! It's me Buiza and Libertad. We have come from Cadìz to help, but it seems the battle is lost. You should retreat."

Libertad, beside the gunboat, said, "I'm going to help them!"

"Libertad! It's too late. We have to retreat."

"Mister Buiza," said Espana, "I am happy to see that we still have someone as popular as you on our side. I have no intention to abandon the people of Madrid to their fate, but you can take the rest of the fleet."

"Everyone," said Buiza by radio, "Retreat immediately to the south-west. We will be joining force with the Azur Lane for a counterattack."

"But Espana…" tried to say Blas de Lezo and Jaime I

Dive bombers were charging upon the gunboat of the commander.

"Leave them to me!" said Libertad.

[Battle A1]

"I am the new commander of the Popular Iberian Front!" reiterated Buiza, "Now, to all friendly forces, retreat toward the gunboat _Gaviota_."

Even hearing Buiza's voice, Espana's side continued the fight. Blaz de Lezo had ran out of torpedoes to launch. The six destroyers were badly damage. Almirante Ferrándiz bore the brunt of the assault. Canarias, Baleares and Almirante Cervera had landed a salvo on the destroyer now reduce to walking slowly out of the battle. Sánchez Barcáiztegui and José Luis Díez were trying to shield her from the incoming salvos. Espana responded with an additional salvo.

[Battle A2]

Blaz de Lezo ordered her cruiser squadron to retreat from the close quarter battle with the superior Alfonso forces. In the south, a salvo landed near them. It was Dunkerque.

"Even Vichya Dominion!" said Espana. "We are not getting any break."

"We should retreat at this point Espana," commented Jaime I, "we have no chance of winning without the Azur Lane.

Espana stood immobile and continued to fire. She finally answered, "You are right. Guide our friends to commander Buiza. He will be better than me in the strategic department."

"Sister… What are you planning?"

Espana lowered her garrison cap to hide her expression from Jaime I.

"Promise me you won't abandon our cause."

"Of course! I believe in Azur Lane's ideal too."

"Then it is enough for me. Go!"

Blaz de Lezo and the remaining five destroyers departed from the battlefield under heavy gunfire and bombers from all side. Anti-air guns had no break. Espana went to Almirante Ferrándiz who couldn't make it out of the battle. Espana took the little body in her arms. She had been reduced to mere corpse holed from all side. She looked back at the city in flames. Her hears were pierced by the striking sound of dive-bombers sirens.

"Sorry little one. Sorry dear city. I couldn't protect you."

Her anti-air made short lives of the bombers trying to get to her.

[Battle A3]

"We have to go now!" screamed Jaime I.

"But Espana!" replied the commander.

"She will buy us some time."

Through his binoculars, he saw the fearsome sharks, Deutschland and Admiral Scheer closing in from the north. The grand duelist Dunkerque was closing in from the south. Finally, the city engulfed in flame and reduce to rubble was occupied by Ironblood and the Vichya Dominion.

"Admiral Blanco. I hope you don't regret this."

[…]

Espana tried to divert all the attention onto herself. Seeing that the planes made no difference. Alfonso and Victoria Eugenia closed in with their cruiser squadron of Canarias, Baleares and Almirante Cervera. The destroyers and the cruisers were out of torpedoes to throw. In radio range, Dunkerque contacted the admiral Blanco.

"Do you need help with Espana or do I chase the cowards fleeing to the west?"

"You are free to attack. Deutschland, Scheer. Chase them to Lisbon if it's needed."

"We were already on our way to do that, and we are not under your command if we must remind you."

Deutschland voice seemed neither aggressive nor imposing. She didn't want to create any unnecessary tension with the friendly admiral.

As Dunkerque and Deutschland tried to pass, they were meet by gunfire. Espana was constantly fired upon by Alfonso who was proposing an honorable surrender to her sister.

"Alfonso, I will fight your side for all of eternity!"

Alfonso was biting her nails in anger. One single soul was opposing her entire plan. They were supposed to capture them all alive, but she underestimated their will to fight a lost cause. For her new kingdom, she

didn't need any more traitors.

"So be it, sister, we will annihilate you if it's your wish."

Blanco's voice reached her, "Are you sure?"

"I have never been surer in my life."

[Battle A4]

London, Days after the Presumed Defeat of the Sirens in the Great War

A ball, organized by the royal family in honor of the victory, involved every nations that fought against the Sirens. The special guest were the shipgirls who fought on the front line of this weird sea war. Espana, Alfonso XIII, Jaime I and Reina Victoria Eugenia had been invited even if their participation had been minimal. The night went along well. Espana had found a good friend from the Sardignian fleet, Dante Alighieri, who was always with the drunk Gangut and Tegetthoff.

"You need to add more drink. Hic!" screamed Gangut to the waiters.

"You all seem to have incredible stories to tell," said Espana intimidated by the battleships who had had extensive careers against the Sirens and participated in their extermination.

"And I have even more fictions in my little book of mine!" said with enthusiasm Alighieri.

She always brought a pen and her book.

"Tell that to yourself," swore Tegetthoff. "I have only Prinz Eugen left. Look at the _Free Latin Union_, they suffered no casualties and their participation was undeniable in the south seas."

"Tegetthoff," Gangut interjected, "Stop being so gloomy about that! Enjoy the fact that you survive the onslaught contrary to most of the Ottoman's navy."

"The first to encounter the Sirens aren't there anymore to tell the tale," added Alighieri. "Which sucks for us. So many souls lost."

"At least, they got to fight. No?"

"Espana," Dante Alighieri took a deep breath, "Your turn will come someday. But don't forget that fighting the right cause is better than fighting for the sake of fighting."

Espana looked at Alighieri concerned look. Her best friend, Viribus Unitis, had been killed on the last days of hostilities in the south seas. Espana saw the deep scar it had left in her. After all these years, seeing the lifeless body of Almirante Ferrándiz, she knew what Alighieri was trying to say to her.

"Espana. Protect your friends at all cost or you will end up with regrets… You don't want to end up with regrets."

Tegetthoff intervened, "It wasn't your fault Dante! It wasn't!"

Alighieri had lowered her cap. Espana didn't comprehend at the time what she was trying to convey. Pain was foreign to her. Almirante Ferrándiz was now her pain. Seeing the city in flame was her pain. She felt the spirit of thousands of torment souls.

Espana stood with all her guns. She was encircled. She clenched her fists in her last act of defiance.

"You were right, Alighieri. My turn has come."

[…]

In the meantime, Lisbon

The light cruisers Afonso de Albuquerque and Bartolomeu Dias were waiting for Azur Lane's ships to come in reinforcement. Lisbon, at 01:00 decided unanimously to side with Espana. It included the cruisers and the destroyers Dao, Douro, Lima, Tejo, Vouga, Antioquia, Caldas, Tamega, Guadiana scattered between the ports of the Azores, Faro, Porto and Lisbon. Queen Elizabeth had ordered Lisbon to be the temporary naval base if Madrid would fall.

Bad news from Buiza confirmed their doubts. If Gibraltar or Lisbon was to fell, they would lose their grip in the west of the Mediterranean. To counter them, Queen Elizabeth had to use what was left of her forces after the admiralty ordered the entire fleet within range of Bismarck to chase her down. It left Gibraltar almost undefended.

Excepted for two cruisers and two destroyers.

HMS Cairo and Liverpool alongside the destroyers Cossack and Lively.

Cossack wore a tiny blue uniform and was armed with a _Shashka_, a kind of sabre.

Albuquerque and Dias appreciated the reinforcement.

"More are to come," said Cairo. "You have our words from the Queen."

"We appreciate your concerns. Especially after the death of Hood."

"We present our sincere condolences."

Cairo appreciated the word. She promised she would say them to the Queen. Despite the fog and the pressure from the invasion, the reunion was calm. The destroyers were playing amongst themselves. Cairo and Liverpool tried to access the situation from the different ports all over the Iberian Peninsula. Allied forces were to reach Lisbon or Gibraltar within twenty-four hours since the declaration of Espana.

"Espana is daring," commented the maid Liverpool.

"We couldn't resist her call to arm. You see, it seems as though the country had spoken from the ground. Let's hope commander Buiza will be as good as Espana hopes."

[…]

Madrid, Twelve Hours Earlier

_Dear Comrades,_

_Your condition as free men is in danger. The Iberian Peninsula is invaded by the tyrants of all humanity, who want to reduce us to puppets of Ironblood. All have decided to defend our future. We will never tolerate this civilization of whip and axe on the neck of our people. Come! Help the future of our country in the face of adversity. I, _Espana_, promise that darkness won't ever have conquer our beautiful homeland. Push them back like our ancestors did to the French. _

_Glory be with Azur Lane! Long live the Iberian people!_

Port of Palma, Thirteen Hours Earlier

_Fellow Citizens,_

_The Protection of internal peace and order constitutes the sacred mission of a nation's naval forces. In the ensuing chaos that is this democratic republic, we will unify by force the Iberian Peninsula under the guidance of our dear Admiral Blanco who will be the symbol of peace and unity. We estimate that a totalitarian state will harmonize in Iberia the operation of all the capabilities and energy in the country, that inside the national unity, the work esteemed as the most unavoidable must be the only exponent of the people's will. That is what we will have to carry out. Be part of this glorious nation or be eradicated. _

_I, new flagship_ Alfonso XIII_, will show no mercy._

[…]

Some twenty minutes later, a relay signal was heard from Cairo coming from the Azores.

"Reinforcement from the... _Free Latin Union_... coming your way."

A loud channel change surprised Cairo. She tried to adjust the sound.

"You finally got it? Jeez! _Mìs amigas_, be faster next time," said an annoyed voice.

Another voice added, "Don't be this harsh, São Paulo, we still have to wait for the _Andean Condor."_

Afonso de Albuquerque sighed, "they still love to fight, as I can see."

"Ironic how we have to go free our old overlord," joked Rivadavia by radio.

From the mist, two formations appear. From the south, the old battleship Rivadavia appeared alongside the battleship Moreno and the destroyer Buenos Aires. They were the unit of the _Patagonian Sun._

From the west, Minas Geraes, São Paulo and Riachuelo appeared alongside two cruisers and ten destroyers. They were the unit of the _Smocking Snakes._

Minas Geraes declared, "We still have to wait for the Andean Condor unit."


	5. Fatal Decision

Madrid, Present Time

Alfonso XIII had never been surer in her life.

But she was still full of doubts.

Here stood Espana. Her sister stood between her dreams of an empire and herself. Espana's ideals seemed to hold her upright amongst the hell of shells coming her way. Reduce to an immobile bunker, Espana's guns were torn. Her secondaries 102mm guns fired continuously in anger and not at anyone. They were silenced one by one. Alfonso stood there frustrated.

Espana never fired at her.

The last gun of Espana was silenced. Blanco ordered a ceasefire. Alfonso, both concerned and with a smirk of victory, closed in to capture her sister. At less than a meter, Espana tried to throw a last punch but Reina Victoria Eugenia was faster and blocked her attempt. Alfonso had pity for her sister's pitiful resistance. She had bought time for Buiza. That was about it. Her career was coming to an end. What had she contributed to?

"Espana. When will you stop being stubborn?"

"I am not stubborn. I am just fighting for what is right."

Espana smiled in defiance with blood dripping down her face. Alfonso, outraged, punched the smile out of Espana's face. She was stopped by Deutschland and Admiral Scheer.

"Keep your sister's squabble to yourself," said Deutschland. "This battle is done!"

"Alfonso. You will end up shining the shoes of the Ironblood… or you will die before that moment. Remember this," whispered Espana to Alfonso.

Canarias and Baleares took Espana by the arms and escorted her toward their temporary headquarter in a building still standing. Admiral Blanco followed the two heavy cruisers. Alfonso stood there biting her thumb's fingernail out of spite toward her own sister. Beside her, the emotionless Victoria tried to understand what was making Alfonso fuming. By her understanding, she had betrayed her sisters and declared war on the entire world. At what end?

The sun was replaced by a glossy moon of a red tint. The fires in the city ceased slowly. Darkness slowly descended on the ruins of Madrid. Alfonso was completely lost in her thoughts unaware of everything around her.

Victoria Eugenia waited.

Lisbon

The admiral from the _Free Latin Union_ (FLU), Boris Markenson, had come on his personal frigate alongside the _Smoking Snakes_. After disembarking, he immediately apologized to Buiza in a kind matter.

"I am sorry that the Great War veteran, José Merino, couldn't make it. We had to leave at least one commander in the defense of our distant homeland. I think you can understand that after Ironblood dared sending a cruiser to raid in our own water!"

"You came with more than enough with the entirety of your surface battlefleet. Are you sure it's not leaving your water vulnerable to submarine attacks?" asked Buiza.

"I left enough anti-submarine vessels behind. What you have now is our surface fleet! Behold our most prize possessions."

Like a broken record, or a cleaver speaker, he presented the old, but modernized, ship of the FLU to the young Iberian commander. He started with the unit he was most familiar with. The three battleships of the Smoking Snake, Minas Geraes, São Paulo and Riachuelo. They wore tightened tank top of a charcoal color. Their green coat was on top of their shoulder. The heat of their homeland made it unbearable to wear these official coats. Their baggy commando shorts had black and green patterns. On the riggings and the left arm of Minas Geraes, a snake, with a monocle and a pipe in the mouth, rested. Buiza found them quite relaxed for what was about to unfold.

Buiza's gaze crossed Geraes' eyes. Like an automated robot, the snake jumped on Buiza, trying to scare him. The commander jumped backward.

Boris Markenson apologized, "Minas! We talked about this! Stop scarring people with _Jararaca_."

"I couldn't resist!" answered Geraes with an innocent smile.

São Paulo took her black military beret in her hands, "Excuse my sister commander. She's such a tease sometime."

"Don't say that or I'll let _Jararaca_ bite you for real!"

"You are such a tease!" they repeated innocently in unison.

A chase started. The battleships ran for their lives. Markenson smiled at Buiza.

"Weren't they supposed to be veteran of the Great War?" Buiza asked.

"Well you see…"

Markenson tried to explain their careless attitude but a voice came on the radio.

"Almirante Latorre speaking."

The Andean Condors took an additional hour to come. After all, they departed from their Pacific base, crossed the Canal Stronghold and across the Atlantic to reach Lisbon. The _Andean Condor_ numbered in the three: the battleship Almirante Latorre and the light cruisers Almirante Grau and Coronel Bolognesi. The trio appeared on the horizon. The three silhouette rapidly reached port. Buiza had his gaze fixed on Almirante Latorre, he guessed by the big armaments and anti-aircraft guns. She wore a splendid dress reminding him of Royal Navy's Illustrious or Formidable. On the side of her head, beside her right twintail, a tuque of a red color rested. Now that she was closing in, her attire of a crimson shade made her shine like a red sun. This contrast with the violet palette of her hair made her one unique pearl amongst her sisters in arm.

Rivadavia and Moreno greeted their old comrades they had not seen in a long time.

"How's the sun in the Pacific?" asked joyfully Rivadavia.

"So boring without company. Not even the Eagle Union visit us. At least, it is peaceful on the other side of the Canal. More importantly," she stared at Cairo, "Will my sister come?"

"Eagle is on her way to Gibraltar from the Indies."

"Thank you. By the way, Markenson, I have received a signal from Exeter and Ajax, do you need their help?"

Markenson looked at Buiza.

"Every help is needed," answered the commander.

"Oh, you are the commander for this front?"

Buiza looked at Markenson in disbelief.

"I am going back now that you have all that you need!" answered Markenson who stepped on his frigate.

The _Smoking Snake_, the _Andean Condor_ and the _Patagonian Sun_, units of the FLU, were ready for their first showdown against Ironblood, the Vichya Dominion and the Red Confederation of Iberia. Markenson warned gently his shipgirls to obey Buiza, who was now the commander of them. They had to obey him as commander and admiral of the _Popular Iberian Front_. They saluted Markenson for a last time before he disappeared toward the sunset.

Buiza glanced at his newborn fleet. He couldn't take his eyes of the unique shipgirl battleship amongst his fleet. Latorre talked with Jaime, Rivadavia and Moreno. Geraes was still playing with her sisters.

Latorre noticed his intense gaze.

"Do I look funny to you!?"

"Sorry. I thought for a second you were from the Royal Navy."

"It is because I was in the Royal Navy before, but I was sent to this hellhole in the south seas after a contract. My sister Cochrane got a better treatment! Not only did she receive planes, but now I am basically just an anti-aircraft platform. The only remarkable thing coming out of this trip was the tan I got along the way."

"Cochrane? Anti-air? I see you have more than your sister but be clearer for me. I wasn't around in the Great War."

"Almirante Cochrane is my sister. Or she can be called _Santiago_ or _Constitución_. I was originally named _Valparaíso_, then _Libertad_. The death of our first admiral, Juan José Latorre, before the Great War, resulted in me getting his glorious name. I am kind of happy because I won't have to rival with your Libertad."

"How do you know about me?" asked the light cruiser Libertad, who was always by Buiza's side.

"When you are lost in the sun, there is not a lot of thing to do. So, I just memorize the entirety of different navies. Your navy wasn't a long one," she joked mockingly.

"I still have no idea who Cochrane is," admitted commander Buiza.

"HMS Eagle is Almirante Cochrane," declared Cairo, "She was requisitioned by the Royal Navy during the Great War and transformed into an aircraft carrier against the Sirens impressive air fleet."

"She wasn't needed as an aircraft carrier!" argued Latorre, "I was left alone as the queen of the south."

"Common Latorre. You still have the cruisers Grau and Bolognesi."

"They are not… as big as me. And they are always in their own corner. Anyway, I will be happy when I see Cochrane!"

Buiza took note. With the possible arrival of the carrier Eagle and the cruisers Exeter and Ajax, he will have enough to hold Gibraltar or Lisbon against the Red Axis onslaught that was coming. For the moment, he founded three cruiser divisions. He decided to leave the names of the foreign division to simplify things.

The _Smocking Snake_ cruiser division of Bahia, Rio Grande do Sul and Miguel de Cervantes. The _Patagonian Sun _cruiser division of Afonso de Albuquerque, Bartolomeu Dias and Blaz de Lezo. The _Andean Condor _of his Libertad, Mendez Nunez, Almirante Grau and Coronel Bolognesi. They would be his main cruiser squadron. For the battleships, he left them unscathed by the reorganization excepted for Jaime I and Almirante Latorre. He put them together with him. Exeter and Ajax would be assigned later.

"Will I be able to fight alongside my sister?" asked Latorre.

"Of course, darling. You will be under my direct supervision and my main force."

Latorre blushed. She refused to believe she was so gently treated in foreign territory. Maybe this trip would be more than just visiting Almirante Cochrane after all. What the commander didn't tell her was that, after all these airplane attacks that Libertad repelled in Madrid, he encountered firsthand that air power is of primary importance. So was anti-air capability. Her anti-air armament would come in handy when he will get attacked.

He assembled the fleet and they made their way to Gibraltar. He had to meet a final actor in the defense of The Rock

Ironblood Headquarter, Berlin

Gneisenau assisted at numerous meeting between the different admirals of the Ironblood fleet. They seated around a giant map of the _New Europa_. Tokens marked the map, especially around Greenland. Eugen was gone in the Atlantic and they only had the last position of Bismarck. In the present Iberian campaign, only Deutschland and Admiral Scheer were marked amongst the different ports.

Their reputation gave them _carte blanche _on the course of action in the current war. They were veterans of the Great War and had acquired a reputation of international proportion. Their names were listed as _Admiral _and _Commander _who had contributed to the final victory against the Siren threat.

Submarine commander and expert, current admiral of the entire submarine force, Karl Donitz. Commanded a squadron of submarine that contributed to the final victory during the Great War.

Battleship proponent and successor to the famous admiral Tirpitz, Erich Raeder. Helped Tirpitz with the coordination of the surface battlefleet during major engagement with the Sirens.

Battleship proponent and commander of the Atlantic fleet, Otto Ernst Lindemann. He personally participated in the last battle against the Siren at the Battle of Queen Maud Land.

Manager of foreign ports and battlefleet expert, the predecessor admiral of entire submarine force, Hans-Georg Friedeburg. Inflicted huge losses on the Sirens as admiral of the submarine force.

Supplier and expert economist of fleet maintenance, Gerhard Wagner. He participated in the defense of Ironblood's port when they came under attack by their new enemies, the Sirens.

Their disdain for one another appeared greatly, but they still worked with one another with the hope of Azur Lane's wake up call. Their gamble rested with either the adaptation of new war protocols and technology by Azur Lane's conservative admiral or their victory would prove their methods for them.

For now, admiral Luis Carrero Blanco of Iberia, admiral Inigo Campioni of Sardegna and admiral François Darlan of the Vichya Dominion sided with them. The confirmation from Miklós Horthy of the Österreich and Sofoklis Dousmanis from the Hellenic Navy was still pending. Their attention was turned toward admiral Blanco who helped ignite the civil war. The Iberian Peninsula was full of important war materials for a healthy navy. Gibraltar became a decisive point in their strategy for the war in the Atlantic. Without this naval base, Malta would soon follow and Alexandria. This early victory would greatly shake their enemies' moral. Donitz held his fist high.

Bad news had reached them.

From the south, the news of the sinking of Admiral Graf Spee to the hand of a Royal Navy cruiser squadron shook them. Additionally, they received a formal declaration of war from the Free Latin Union. Erich Raeder thought that the giant of the south had waken much earlier than expected, and earlier than the behemoth Eagle.

"U-513 spotted at least three battleships departing from the Amazon and two battleships from the Plateau. If we include Almirante Latorre in the equation, we are considerably outgunned if we want to take the Rock," said Otto Ernst Lindemann.

"Like I said in earlier meeting, we should have mobilized U-boats in the region to attack the forces in transfer," argued Donitz.

"No," said abruptly Friedeburg. "We have to abide by the law of the treaty at the least. We can't go around killing everybody. That would be counterproductive to our goals."

Donitz's scratched the itch on his hands. They had learned their lessons from the Battle of Jutland, the battle of the Horn and the battle of Queen Maud Land. What needed to be suspected was the unexpected. Their quick intervention would have signified that they were ready for anything.

Instead, they seated around letting the course of the war continuing.

"For now, we should secure the supplies from the Iberian Peninsula," declared Gerhard Wagner. "If you don't mind, I will personally lead our presence in the area."

"Our resources are spread thin," Raeder commented, "but I can give you Deutschland, Admiral Scheer, Koln and some torpedo boats of the coast of France."

"Our war in the Atlantic is our help," Donitz said.

"With Sardegians and Vichya's help, it should be enough," he declared with an assured smile.

Gneisenau finally left her corner of the room and intervene, "Why not use our old friends from the High Seas Fleet. They might be outdated, but Iberians port are close, and their range is not a problem."

Gerhard Wagner still held his old comrades in his heart. Some were scrapped following the Treaty and the Ironblood received an additional fine for waging war in the first place. Because of that, he didn't want to lose them. He looked at Gneisenau. She was needed against the modern Royal Navy. He would gamble on the fact that the Free Latin Union wouldn't have the resources to modernize their battleships.

"You are right Gneisenau. Mobilize Schleswig-Holstein, Schlesien and Sachsen and Württemberg. Tell them to reunite with Deutschland. She is going to be the flagship of the operation."

"It leaves us with no battleship in reserve," Raeder argued to himself. "Let's hope _Operation Felix _doesn't take more than a week."

Admiral Wagner sighed. He had more time to prepare leaving him with less time to execute the operation. Gneienau acknowledged and disappeared from the meeting.

Outside of the Ironblood Headquarter in Berlin, in coastal bunkers, the riggings of battleships Schleswig-Holstein, Schlesien, Sachsen and Württemberg were kept from bomber's view. In a little underground bunker, the decommissioned shipgirl were playing a game of cards when they were surprised by Gneisenau's strict attitude.

"Wow," Schlesien said with a surprise look, "It's rare that we get a visit from another person than Admiral Wagner."

Gneisenau commented, "Enjoy your new career! You all depart this afternoon to the Iberian Peninsula."

Città Eterna

"Littorio, what are you looking at?"

Vittorio Veneto was at her desk beside Littorio who looked through the window toward the Österreich lands. She had to quench her desire to invade what was theirs. The Österreich coastline would help secure the Adriatic Sea from the pesky Royal Navy. _Unternehmen 25_, the coercion of the Österreich was due next month. She wouldn't wait. She almost wanted them to decline the offer to justify their takeover.

"I was thinking about _Operation Felix_."

"What will be our answer?" asked Vittorio Veneto.

Littorio knew they couldn't refuse to help. At the same time, the Rock was on the bottom of her priority list. If they were only a simple help, they would be remembered as such. However, Littorio wanted to be the head of the operation which was impossible for now. They had to wait. Littorio decided to give the minimum necessary to count as a participation, but not enough that their contribution would be game changer.

"Let's send… San Giorgio and San Marco as part of a cruiser squadron alongside Alberto Di Guissano and Alberico Da Barbiano and a couple of destroyers."

"But San Giorgio and San Marco are completely outdated!"

"It doesn't matter in this future battle, sister," Littorio argued. "With what are they going to oppose us? Some outdated battleship and puny cruisers?"

"We should wait for the _Supermarina_ to access the situation."

"Waiting for these slow incompetents! Never trust the higher ups. Trust your instinct. Trust me and only me. Our help won't be needed."

In both case scenario, she thought herself right. Vittorio Veneto lowered her head. She had to go with the flow. Littorio's mind was obsessed with Operation 25.

Madrid, Three Days after the Rebellion

Espana was tied to a chair in an empty room. In front of her, Alfonso XIII was trying relentlessly to convince her to join her side. Her stubborn sister refused over and over. Beaten, whipped or lashed, she didn't give up. Blanco and Victoria Eugenia observed the scene with a detached attitude. Deutschland, as the new appointed flagship of the Iberian theater, had to observe this scene that made her want to vomit, or in the least strangle Alfonso who had a complete deranged mind in her eyes

Deutschland argued, "We can always let her rot in prison."

"She will join us or she will be executed," Blanco declared on a harsh tone.

A puddle of blood had form under Espana's chair. Alfonso let go of the broken stick she had mercilessly used on Espana's head. Alfonso wanted desperately to have her join her side.

"Espana. I am the new Iberian flagship. You can always be my right-hand in our new empire."

"Your new empire is built on the blood of the innocent. I can't accept such an outcome."

Alfonso was tired of hearing the same broken record over and over. She was even more tired than the girl who took a beating. She shed tears of anger. She was chewing on her hat with a total disregard for her teeth.

"Why are you so stubborn! I hate you!"

"Sister, I never knew this was your true color. What transformed you in such a monster?"

"Shut up! Miss. Responsibility. You are going to get me killed!"

"Your cube is sure going to stop if you stay angry this long."

Alfonso concluded, "I am done with you! I'll try myself with Jaime I. I'll have you be the target ship for my new Ironblood friends."

She looked at the unsure Deutschland. Blanco acknowledged her decision.

Espana would be executed by firing squad.

Somewhere

"It seems Alfonso's option are running thin," commented Observer α.

"You are too cruel," said the Tester with a sarcastic grin.

"The Swordman did her job wonderfully."

"Operation Felix…" said the Tester, "A decisive showdown by… outdated technology. I don't know if any side take it seriously."

The situation unfolded faster than expected leaving all side short on shipgirls to send to the battle. At least, The Red Axis and Azur Lane would learn who is the new master of the battlefield. The Observer α notified to Tester β.

"Make sure the _Luftwaffe_, the_ Regia Aeronautica_ and the _Vichya Air Force_ are ready to intervene."

Gibraltar, Four Days after the Rebellion

The defense of the island of Gibraltar, or simply the Rock since the shift in the tectonic plates made by the Sirens during the Great War, would be fiercely defended by one carrier, seven battleships, twelve cruisers now that Exeter and Ajax had come, around thirty destroyers and fifteen Iberian submarines under the supervision of Upright, Ultimatum, Unbroken, Urge and Upholder.

If the fleet didn't impress the Royal Navy admiral in charge of the island, he could still rely on the "most defended area in the entire world". Series of tunnels were built underground and complicated arrangement of firing arc made invading the island from a weak spot impossible for any attacking force. Additionally, batteries on batteries of anti-air guns were spread around the ten kilometers square island. Around ten thousand men were ready for the battle in all sort of position from the medic to the spotter for artillery pieces.

The admiral in charge welcomed the new commander of the _Popular Iberian Front_ and his fleet.

"For this battle, my submarines and my surface fleet are under your command. Understood? You can call in the Gibraltar command for aerial or artillery support."

"Understood admiral Somerville."

James Somerville had other matters at hand. He was still awaiting the result of the interception of the Bismarck. He basically left himself vulnerable, but with the reinforcement, he regained hope that Gibraltar would be defended for the next two weeks, or at least, would offer such a glorious resistance that it would leave the enemy scared for the rest of the war. Now that the entirety of Europa was coming at his doorstep, he had to rely on a foreign commander of all thing.

"I hope you won't deceive me, commander Miguel Buiza."

"We will be victorious. I promise."

He went back outside the bunker and traveled a kilometer in a jeep before reaching the port of Gibraltar were his allies had anchored. On the premise of the shops, he could see the valiant girl go about their business as usual. The soldiers observed them like alien. Everyone feared the snake on Minas Geraes' arm. Buiza saluted them.

"Don't let your snake run rampant."

"Don't worry, commander. He is docile."

She took the pipe out of his mouth and threw it in the air. She ignited her lighter. The snake caught the pipe and passed it on the lighter in a span of a second. The snake was back to rest on her arm.

"You see. He can do tricks!"

"I hope he won't disrupt you during the battle," the commander said, "Girls, prepare yourself because, from midnight, you will be on the ocean 24/7."

Madrid, Seven Days after the Rebellion

Firmly attached to a buoy, Espana faced Reina Victoria Eugenia, Schleswig-Holstein, Schlesien, Sachsen, Württemberg, Dunkerque and the newly arrived battleships Strasbourg and Provence. Deutschland and Admiral Scheer refused to participate in what was a simple execution. Blanco was beside Alfonso who had the pistol in her hands.

"When you are ready, Alfonso, press the trigger and they will fire."

The executioners in front of Espana were not please by what was unfolding.

"We were promised practice targets, but we were not informed that it was an old colleague," Schleswig-Holstein pointed out.

"She allied herself with the criminal of Azur Lane," Provence, who was now stuck with an eye-patch, said. "They will have to answer for Mers-el-Kébir! I will personally make them."

"Repaired and already this pumped?" said Sachsen, "I don't understand what happened, but it was big for sure!"

"Is it worth shooting an old ally though?" Württemberg declared.

"She is an enemy of our cause, am I right," Dunkerque said while looking at Alfonso to get her approval.

Alfonso answered with uncertainty in her voice, "Traitors deserve to die."

"Quite ironic," laughed Espana. "You that abandoned Azur Lane's cause."

"Shut up!" repeated Alfonso.

She raised the pistol toward the sky. The executioners readied themselves. The signal had yet to come. From the executioner's rank, Reina Victoria Eugenia examined the fretful flagship. Even if she tried to remain calm, the tremor in her arms appeared obvious. Her finger on the trigger was going back and forth unsure of what was the right decision. Sweat dripped down her chin. Her eyes gained a dreadful expression. Victoria Eugenia tried to understand her but failed. If she didn't want to see her sister executed, she could keep her incarcerated for the remainder of the war. With her rigging sealed, it would have been impossible for her to scuttle herself.

Blanco declared, "Fire."


	6. G-Day

She had come in a world where the Sirens were on the verge of destroying Humanity. The Iberian Union had joined the Azur Lane when it was founded. Espana, along with her sisters Alfonso XIII and Jaime I, were the guardians of the Rock. The power of the Sirens was so immense that it shaped a new Europe. In its wake, it separated countries and region in islands. The Rock was no exception and it even gain a four kilometers of land.

But the Sirens never reached the Rock and their submarines could only be fight by cruisers and destroyers. The three battleship welcomed a fourth sister, Reina Victoria Eugenia. They never saw action, and their country was the less destroyed by the end of the war.

However, Espana could see the scars on other shipgirl's faces. She felt like they had been left out of everything for the better and the worst. A new era of prosperity would unfold. Espana always felt like they hadn't done anything to deserve it. Thus, she decided to help however she could, and she would honor the Azur Lane alliance forever because her happiness wasn't the result of her own labor but the labor of countless.

She made great friendships with Dante Alighieri, Gangut, Tegetthoff, Salamis and Sultân Osmân Evvel. The following treaty left them unscathed, but her friends disappeared before her eyes. Dante Alighieri was scrapped. Gangut secluded herself in the north. The depressed Tegetthoff stayed in her castle all day. Sultân Osmân Evvel oversaw the gates that lead to the Black Sea. Only Salamis from the Hellenic Navy remained in contact with her.

The world seemed to run away from her.

And her own sister Alfonso XIII had betrayed the alliance for personal gain. She at least let Jaime I fight another day in her name. She finished her career with only one battle under her belt: The Battle of Madrid. For her, it wasn't about the number; it was all about the impact.

And she leaves without regrets, fired upon by enemies, not by Azur Lane.

"Crimson Axis rest in hell! Long live Azur Lane!"

Madrid

The administration of the _Confederación Ibérica Roja_ had been relocated to one of the last building standing in the city in ruins. It was simple and old building that was used in the confection of bricks. Their bunker-like construction materiel left the building in a good shape enough to house the new administration. Shut in her room, Alfonso XIII thought about the next battle, about the next step. Reina Victoria Eugenia stood beside her still trying to understand why Alfonso's mental state was collapsing.

"If you were unsure about Espana, why did you still insist on getting rid of her?"

"She could have hampered my plans."

"What plans? You talk about them like I know them. Yet, I am left in the dark."

Alfonso fixed Victoria. She murmured something to herself. Victoria tried to make sense of what was happening. Her expression became more concerned.

"Look, will you protect me at all cost?"

"I am there to serve you, your highness."

"Then please be my shield when the time comes."

She presented her hand to Reina Victoria Eugenia. The battleship, who thought of herself has nothing more than the extension of the king, took her hand and promised with a smile.

Victorio declared, "When the time come, you will tell me all about this?"

In the harbor, the last actors for _Operation Felix_ came. Alfonso examined the little group.

"San Giorgio and San Marco! Why are they sending Alighieri's outdated bodyguards?"

"It seems Ironblood's forces will be our main firepower."

"Let's hope admiral Blanco has good plans up his sleeves."

Gibraltar, in the night

Almirante Latorre couldn't sleep this night. The lone Queen of the South had been alone for so long. She just wanted to be with her sister like in the good old time of the Great War against the Sirens. The carrier Eagle, which Latorre called Almirante Cochrane, made her laughed. Her sister of the south, who had taken too much sun and tropical foods, had gain a little bit of height and meat over her sister from the Royal Navy. Her tan symbolized that eternal exclusion.

"What Can I do? The Royal Navy needs me more than ever, especially since the Raid on Taranto, we aren't support no more but a pivotal element on the battlefield like you, battleships."

"If you could go back, would you do it?"

"Three weeks ago? Yeah but now I doubt myself. So much planes everywhere. Illustrious, with only two squadron, humiliated the Sardignians. And from reports from our little friends that took part in the Battle of Madrid, it seems planes are now the essentials."

"Annoying, vociferated Latorre. I was lucky to be retrofitted with even more anti-air guns."

"I promise, you will need it."

"Let's hope our commander doesn't fail us…"

"If Sommerville trust him, I will trust in his judgment."

They then talked about their respective life. Almirante Latorre listened to the tales of her sister. The multiple plane changes that she went through. Latorre envied her. Down in the south, they didn't have the funds the retrofit her with, at least, twin 381mm like Queen Elizabeth. Instead, she was stuck with twin 356mm. For Eagle, she wondered why her sister stayed with her dress that would sure be too hot in the sun. Latorre laughed. She dressed herself for the occasion in a colder climate. Down in the south, she was no different from Rivadavia or Minas Geraes.

"Wait! You dressed in a tank top?!"

"Shut up," asked Latorre who looked around for eavesdroppers. "I don't want to be seen in those filthy clothes. Only royal clothes are adapted for my person! We never talked about that!"

"You are so funny Latorre. The sun really damaged your brain!"

"Shut up… Idiot."

Eagle looked through the window. She pointed the glowing moon in the cloudless night sky full of stars. Latorre went to the window.

"These are our lucky stars," Eagle said.

Latorre and Eagle stayed at the window, each one on their side, and fixed it for hours. Latorre was so happy. It wasn't the harsh and hot jungles. It was the warmth of the Mediterranean and Atlantic's wind caressing her face.

_How I miss you sister. Those Ironblood will pay._

[…]

Commander Buiza was reviewing his manpower for the incoming battle that he wasn't sure when it would strike. Beside him, his newly promoted secretary Libertad was standing beside him without flinching waiting to deliver papers in his name. The sleep-deprived commander needed not to waste time with paperwork. Libertad took the freedom to bring him a sweet tea to relieve his stress. He accepted her gift without grumbling.

Another shipgirl entered the room.

"Cairo reporting."

"What is it?"

"It seems scout planes have spotted fleets from the enemy going toward Gibraltar. More than six battleships."

Buiza found that weird. They were superior in every way. He suddenly realized what was missing.

"Report of any planes?"

"Not as far as I am aware."

He dismissed her. Libertad look at his frantic writing on a piece of paper.

"What are those notes?"

"I'm trying to extrapolate the number of planes we saw at Madrid. They were in the thousands and I can't believe our enemies won't bring these machine to this battle."

"If they bring it, we are clearly outmatched in this area."

"And I am guessing we are. Best case scenario, they don't bring planes and we win."

"Gibraltar's planes are ready to fight upon your command."

Libertad went behind his chair. She started rubbing her hands on his stiff shoulders. She invited him to relax and take it easy.

"I'm happy I can rely on you in these hard times."

"You might not be fighting like us on the front line, but it doesn't make you less afflicted by the situation."

The commander smiled.

In the morning

Scouting planes, model _Fairey III F_, were on their daily reconnaissance mission over Iberia and the west of the Mediterranean. HMS Eagle had sent planes in the vicinity to spot any enemies. They had been on the lookout for days and no one had shown their face.

Suddenly, the transmission for the scout planes was lost. Buiza repeated his message from the cabin of his gunboat in a fanatic effort to get the communication back. Nothing happened.

"They were maybe shot down by anti-air?" said Libertad.

"I have a bad feeling. Get ready."

Libertad saluted. In the harbor, she took her riggings and warned everyone.

"Oh well," said Ajax to Exeter. "In the hope that you get better soon."

"Until my rigging is repaired."

Ajax reunited with her unit of the _Patagonian Sun_. Afonso de Albuquerque, Bartolomeu Dias and Blaz de Lezo were waiting on the southern side of the harbor. They were to defend the southern portion of Gibraltar since the port of Ceuta had fallen into enemies' hands. Since Lisbon was the last port left after Gibraltar, they were almost encircled.

Buiza waited for the _Andean Condor_ who were taking their time to be prepared. Libertad tried hastening her comrades. Almirante Latorre and Eagle were walking slowly and talking while getting to the dock.

"Get ready you two!" said Libertad.

"It's just another false alert," insisted Latorre.

After minutes, they were ready to patrol the vicinity of Gibraltar. Buiza maintained contact with São Paulo, the flagship of the northern front, and Rivadavia, the flagship of the southern front. Without scout planes on their riggings, they were forced to rely on their eyesight and scout planes from Gibraltar. Land-base scout planes were longer to prepare and were slower in the sky.

The slow-moving battleship force of Almirante Latorre slowed down effort by the cruisers to look for enemies on the ten kilometers square of water.

"If you don't get your gear ready, you are going to be easy fishes for planes."

"My engines and boilers are totally outdated for that!" complained Latorre.

Grey and black clouds suddenly appeared on the horizon covering the sunrise. These fast-moving clouds took less than ten minutes to engulf Gibraltar in a small storm. They had survey around seven kilometers of water when silhouettes appeared on the horizon. Were they from Malta?

"Buiza to unknown signal. Can I have confirmation?"

Instead of a confirmation, thunderous spark came from the horizon. Two lobs slowly came and lifted the water on landing. They were clearly enemies, but the sudden rain reduced visibility to a mere two kilometers. The sound of gunfire intensified.

"I will send my planes!"

Eagle deployed a squadron of torpedo bombers that disappeared in the rain. Eagle maneuvered them to hit her enemies on the side. Her first wave stopped the enemies' volley. The carrier, who scored two hit, transmitted her estimate coordinated to her sister.

"Count on me to hit them!" assured Latorre.

[Battle A-1]

In the north, the sky suddenly turned dark. A mist came with the rain reducing visibility below one kilometer.

"What is this!" screamed São Paulo.

"Don't lose sight of each other!" said Riachuelo. "Screening force, keep contact with us!"

"We have enemies in front… of us…" tried to say Bahia.

The signal jammed. The covering force could see each other, but not their covering force. They were isolated. Like a horror story, three big guns appeared on a menacing riggings. Her Ironblood outfit was stuff of nightmares. The shark sisters, the Deutschland-class pocket battleships, Admiral Scheer. Her menacing shark teeth shined through the mist. A Vichya Dominion heavy cruisers and two Sardigians light cruiser followed. Scheer applauded.

"Girls, we have our target. Schleswig-Holstein, Schlesien, Sachsen. Please, refrain from firing for the moment."

"Dammit! Dammit! Riachuelo! São Paulo! Do you receive me!" repeated Rio Grande do Sul.

The heavy cruisers opened fire at 1 and a half kilometer. The light cruisers and their destroyers closed in fast. Miguel de Cervantes called a hastily retreat.

[Battle A-2]

Meanwhile, little silhouettes had sneaked past the screening force onto two easy targets that were still trying to get their radio to work.

They fired all their torpedoes and departed.

[…]

The south of Gibraltar was quieter with only a small rain and grey clouds. Rivadavia and Moreno had no idea what was unfolding in the north nor the center. They were tasked with patrolling the south water and that was what they were doing to the letter. Bartolomeu Dias spotted unknown forces coming from Vichya Dominion's territory. Rivadavia didn't hesitate. She ordered everyone to be combat ready.

Shark like teeth, shark rigging, Ajax recognized the shipgirl. It was the pocket battleship Deutschland. She already had defeated Admiral Graf Spee. She could now feast on another giant ship.

"Ironblood continuously serves me sharks on a plate. I hope you will enjoy your last battle Deutschland."

"Who are you little bug? I don't remember ever seeing a frail bug like you."

"You're louder than your sister. That is for sure."

"My sister? How do you know about her?!"

"Before coming here, she had a showdown between me, Achilles and Exeter. We defeated your sister."

"Impossible! You are lying. I would have been informed by now!"

"And now, I have the help of Iberia and the Free Latin Union. Enjoy your beating!"

Dunkerque intervened, "These outdated designs? We will make short lives of them."

"I wouldn't be so sure!" Rivadavia said with a confident grin.

Waves of planes coming from the airfields of Ceuta started appearing in the sky.

"Common, you already have us outnumbered and you need planes? Pathetic!" said Moreno.

Without a word, both sides started firing range shot. Within minutes, it was a violent firefight. Enemy planes scattered the destroyers running for their lives. They were greatly outnumbered.

[Battle A-3]

Then the destroyer Vouga was hit by Deutschland. In return, Rivadavia and Moreno reduced Carlo Mirabello to ashes. Totally outnumbered and outmatched, Rivadavia ordered a retreat toward Gibraltar. They slowed them down and they couldn't hope to win. The fast battleship Dunkerque ordered a pursuit.

"Don't let them run away! We have the advantage of speed."

"Lezo, asked Ajax, come with me and the destroyers, we will launch torpedoes to slow them down."

The destroyers, Lezo and Ajax released all the torpedoes available in their arsenal. The giant wave of warhead headed to cautious enemies that had to maneuver to not be hit by these powerful weapons. In the meantime, Ajax and her comrades were already far away, out of secondary gun range. Dunkerque fired her gun out of anger. They had accomplished their goals. The heavy cruiser Algérie tried resonating with her.

"We made the enemy retreat. Our submarines just need to cut them and we are good."

"I still hate the fact that they ran away."

Deutschland passed by the destroyer Quintino Sella, Francesco Crispi and Augusto Riboty who were crying over Mirabello's body.

"Get over it you three! We need you!" said Deutschland with anger.

"But… But Carlo…"

"She's gone! We can't do anything about it but move forward."

Ajax's declaration resonated in her head like a bell hitting her skull. A bitter taste and her desire to annihilate her enemies grew. She thought about feeding Ajax to her sharks. Espana came back in her head. Maybe she could try some of Alfonso's technique. Fist clenched, she tried to catch up with the fastest cruiser. Almirante Cervera led the pack while Navarra was lagging behind with the battleships.

Madrid, before the battle

Admiral Blanco had already unveiled his plan to his shipgirls. They were to go in a pincer movement with the central force being a cover force. Alfonso XIII, being less powerful accepted the task. She also accepted the task thinking it would be the spot where she would have less chance to finish at the bottom of the sea.

How she was wrong.

The moment they sighted Gibraltar, a squadron of planes dove on them and dropped their torpedoes.

San Giorgio was struck on the port side and reduced to sluggish hulk.

Daniele Manin's ammunition magazine detonated. Her burning corpse released a distinct black smoke that resembled a smoke emergency marker. Enemies battleship fired in the surrounding water. Unable to respond, Alfonso asked Blanco to retreat immediately.

"Negative. Stay in the area until the northern and southern forces closed in."

"They kept their main force in the port! They won't be powerful on the side!" Alfonso repeated.

The panicked Alfonso wasn't firing or giving any orders to the confused cruisers.

"What do we do?" asked Baleares.

"Seems like Alfonso doesn't know what to do," answered a furious Canarias.

She directed the cruiser squadron forward. They wouldn't be intimidated. For Alfonso, she wanted to run away from the battle, but her own forces would mock her for doing so. Victoria Eugenia's hand took hers.

"I will be your shield, Alfonso. Do you remember."

Alfonso smiled hesitantly. It was the smile that, if everything was to go wrong, she wouldn't be blame and someone would be there for her, as her shield.

[Battle A-4]

* * *

Author's note: I made this Order of Battle for the ease of reading and for myself because there is a lot of ships involved.

**Order of Battle : Battle of Gibraltar**

Gibraltar Defense Force (Commander Miguel Buiza)

Smocking Snakes (North):

**Battleships** : Riachuelo **/** São Paulo (2)

**Cruisers** : Bahia **/** Rio Grande do Sul** /** Miguel de Cervantes / Liverpool (4)

**Destroyers** : Pará / Piauí / Amazona / Mato Grosso / Rio Grande do Norte / Paraíba / Alagoas / Santa Catarina / Paraná / Sergipe (10)

Patagonian Sun (South):

**Battleships** : Rivadavia / Moreno (2)

**Cruisers** : Afonso de Albuquerque / Bartolomeu Dias / Blaz de Lezo / Ajax (4)

**Destroyers** : Buenos Aires / Dao / Douro / Lima / Tejo / Vouga / Antioquia / Caldas / Tamega / Guadiana (10)

Andean Condor (Middle/main force):

**Carrier** : Eagle (1)

**Battleships** : Almirante Latorre **/ **Minas Geraes **/** Jaime I (3)

**Cruisers** : Libertad **/ **Mendez Nunez **/** Almirante Grau** / **Coronel Bolognesi / Cairo (5)

**Destroyers** : Alsedo / Lazaga / Sánchez Barcáiztegui / José Luis Díez / Alcalá Galiano / Churruca / Almirante Valdes / Almirante Antequera / Almirante Miranda / Císcar / Escaño / Gravina / Jorge Juan / Ulloa / Cossack / Lively (16)

Submarines : Upright / Ultimatum / Unbroken / Urge / Upholder / Narciso Monturiol / Cosme García / A-3 / B-1 / B-2 / B-3 / B-4 / B-5 / B-6 / Isaac Peral / C-2 / C-3 / C-4 / C-5 / C-6 / Espadarte / Hidra / Delfim / Golfinho (24)

**Reserves** : Exeter (damaged by Admiral Graf Spee)

Crimson Axis (Admiral Luis Carrero Blanco)

Northwest Front:

**Battleships** : Schleswig-Holstein / Schlesien / Sachsen (3)

**Cruisers** : Admiral Scheer / Dupleix / Alberto Di Guissano / Alberico Da Barbiano (4)

**Destroyers** : Velasco / Huesca / Ceuta / Libeccio / Grecale / Panthère / Tigre / Verdun / Le Hardi / L'Indomptable (10)

Southwest Front:

**Battleships** : Provence / Dunkerque / Württemberg (3)

**Cruisers** : Deutschland / Algérie / Navarra / Almirante Cervera (4)

**Destroyers** : Quintino Sella / Francesco Crispi / Carlo Mirabello / Augusto Riboty / Lion / Lynx / Vauban / Guépard / Gerfaut / Aigle (10)

Main Attack Force:

**Battleships** : Alfonso XIII / Reina Eugenia Victoria (2)

**Cruisers** : Canarias / Baleares / San Giorgio / San Marco (4)

**Destroyers :** Teruel / Melilla / Marte / Neptuno / Jupiter / Vulcano / Daniele Manin / Cesare Battisti / Francesco Nullo / Nazario Sauro (10)

**Wolfpack I** (SS) : General Mola / General Sanjurjo / G-7 (3)

**Other Submarines** : Durbo / Lafolè / Tembien / Iride / Naiade / Rubino / Diamante / Capitano Raffaele Tarantini (9)


	7. Unexpected Visitor

Palacio Nacional, Madrid

Before the civil war

Espana, Alfonso XIII, Jaime I and Reina Victoria Eugenia were studying the development of the war. Their mostly untouched system should remain untouched. That was the opinion of Alfonso. If they were pressured by Ironblood, Espana would side without hesitation with Azur Lane. At this time, Alfonso shared the same fate. With the capitulation of the Iris Orthodoxy, it seemed unavoidable. After the short meeting, Alfonso XIII was going back to her room. On the way, she thought about the implications. Without a doubt, they would be push back by the sheer power of three big fleets against their outdated forces. With the help of Azur Lane, they could always come back to their homeland later.

"Are you sure about that?" said a little intimidating voice that resonated in her head.

Alfonso looked around for the voice. The ground, the air, everything seemed to have stopped. She was trapped in a time capsule with an unknown voice.

Then she appeared in front of her.

Floating and balancing herself on her guns with a glowing yellow at the end of the barrel, the guns acted like fingers. Her long white hair seemed to never end. She had two mechanical cat ears on her head. Her dress seemed to not cover much of her body. Alfonso was terrified of her yellow eyes that she couldn't mistake for anything else.

"Sirens!" she screamed repeatedly.

"Unfortunately for you, no one can hear."

"What do you want from me! Do you want to kill me!"

"I would not get my hand dirty trying to kill you. I would send my henchmen in that case. No. No! Alfonso XIII, queen, or should I say, you normal-nobody-below-average shipgirl who's title died with the newly founded republic. Do you not feel this flame of anger in your heart?"

"Not enough to side with devils."

The mysterious girl laughed, "You should take notes from me, Observer α, because I already know your fate. I already know everything about you. The Creator has bestowed me with the power to see futures, pasts and presents and know them all at the same time!"

Alfonso XIII stood in awe as she was trying to cope with the amount of information she was receiving.

"You, Alfonso XIII, will be consumed by water as you tried to cover for your little friend, Velasco. In the oncoming conflict, you will all be destroyed in trying to fight Ironblood or Azur Lane. Your sisters, Espana and Jaime I, will meet a similar fate in both scenarios. Your fates can only be averted if you side with Ironblood, one of your sister stay by your side and commander Buiza dies during the civil war."

The grim reaper scared Alfonso XIII who then asked, "Doesn't Victoria count?!"

"She is of another class and doesn't count as your sister. Remember Alfonso XIII, you need one of your sisters to side with you and both need to be on Ironblood's side. If you fail, fate will run behind you… and stab you."

Observer α planted her hand into Alfonso's body. The shipgirl felt something ticking.

"This is a little gift in case you decide to talk about me."

As Observer α was laughing maniacally, Alfonso XIII tried moving, but she was stuck into place. Beside her, she saw a mine drifting toward her. Alfonso was screaming for Observer's mercy. The Siren was drowned in her own laughs. The mine detonated on her side blowing her legs to pieces. The ground below her became black. The suffering was too much. If she did not act, her life would end in a sea of meaninglessness.

"Remember, Alfonso XIII, the normal-nobody-below-average shipgirl, if you don't side with Ironblood, keep one of your sister alive and kill Buiza, you will die in irrelevancy! Don't forget, our contact never happened. Ahaha!"

Her laughs echoed in her head like a bad dream. Then she woke up shaken by a concerned Reina Victoria Eugenia.

"You passed out on the floor! What happened?" she asked.

Alfonso XIII checked her legs. They were still attached firmly to her body. She sighed in relief. Was it all a dream? She did not know.

"I was visited…"

She then felt an immense pressure in her chest. Like an anchor tied to her neck trying to suffocate her. Reina Victoria Eugenia shook her again.

"Nothing. I just feel bad right now."

Alfonso XIII clenched her fist in despair. She had to act, and she had to act fast.

[…]

Teruel and Melilla, ex-Sardignian destroyers, moved in position with their sisters in arm Cesare Battisti, Francesco Nullo and Nazario Sauro who were showing no consideration for their safety. Their carelessness could have been thought has suicidal, but they were following direct orders from admiral Blanco. The slower minelayers, Marte, Neptuno, Jupiter and Vulcano, were trying to catch up to the faster destroyers. Their uncertainty almost made them slow down on purpose. Their diversion had become a suicide mission in less than a minute with the presence of the aircraft carrier that was unaccounted for in the planning of the operation.

The group of nine destroyers was met by more than sixteen destroyers ready to defend Gibraltar at all cost. Amongst them, the Churruca's sisters were eager for revenge. After the death of Almirante Ferrándiz, they wanted to make every red answer for their crimes.

"Your either with us or against us," proclaimed Sánchez Barcáiztegui.

"Nice deduction, idiot," Battisti said.

"We don't want to do this because we want to!" Nullo added with a shy expression.

Alsedo said, "Prepare your torpedoes! I'm coming for you!"

And for Cossack to say, "That's the spirit! Charge!"

[Battle B-1]

As the battle above ground was unfolding, silhouettes lurked under the sea in the search of the perfect opportunity to strike. On Buiza's side, the Iberian submarines were scattered around their submarine captain. Upholder, alongside Cosme García, C-2 and Espadarte, patrolled the water for any unwanted submarine attack.

It was then when they spotted a handful of Sardignian submarines heading straight to their backlines without any precautions. Not wanting to disrupt the battle above ground, she sent a signal easily intercepted by allies and foes. The Sardignian submarines hesitated, but Upholder charge without hesitation followed by the Iberian submarines.

"Eagle! We will need swordfishes to take them out once they go the surface!"

"Received!" Eagle said. She then turned toward her commander and ask for more instructions.

"We will use our second submarine wave. Unbroken, move your unit in position!"

[Battle B-2]

From the darkened sky, thousand of grey and white, yellow and green dive bombers appeared. The condors and legionaries suddenly scarred endlessly the destroyers who scattered their formation. Libertad, Cairo and Cossack tried rallying them, but even Almirante Grau and Coronel Bolognesi's experience during the Great War were scarred of the intimidating aircrafts.

"Buiza to HQ! Buiza to HQ! Need your air support immediately. I repeat. I need every single plane of this island in the sky!"

The enemy planes were now at less than two kilometers. It was too late. Eagle deployed the entirety of her arsenal to counter the plane. While Almirante Latorre was busy with the planes, Minas Geraes and Jaime I approached the enemy destroyers, the cruisers and the two battleships.

"It seems we will have to this ourselves!" Jaime I said.

"You are going to be tasty food for my snake," joked Minas Geraes whose snake was terribly annoyed by this rain that extinguished the flame of its pipe.

Alfonso looked terrible. She simply ordered to her side, "No matter what, I want Jaime I to be captured alive! Understood!"

"Yes miss," answered an annoyed Canarias who just wanted a good fight.

Libertad, Mendez Nunez and Cairo rallied Grau, Bolognesi, Lepanto, Barcáiztegui and Antequera but the rest of the destroyers had cowered behind Buiza's gunboat under the incessant speech of Buiza who was trying to make them go back in the battle.

The enemy planes were now at less than one kilometer. Eagle deployed everything. Her planes were joined by another ten of them.

[Battle B-3]

The admiral James Sommerville was trying to contact the force he had sent to hunt the Bismarck. He received the news of their success and was awaiting them in the briefest delay.

"We have no ammunition left!" argued King George V.

"I don't care. We need anti-air guns as soon as possible. Bring everything. I want Ark Royal on this island by tomorrow!"

"But sir, we are tired," Ark Royal said.

"I don't want to hear any excuses! If you want some speed stimuli, I promise you. There is a bunch of destroyers awaiting your visit!"

"Then we will be there as soon as possible sir!" the happy carrier said.

"Ark!" screamed Rodney.

The contact cut when a second signal came on the second radio. The man at the post gave him the microphone and the headphones. Sommerville asked for their identities. Bizarre interference didn't render all the message.

"Riche… Almi… Mendo… South… Com…"

"Repeat please."

Complete silence. James asked the radioman to try everything to contact what seemed like friendly forces.

[…]

"What is it with those goddamn mist that destroys radio equipment these days!" said the first cruiser.

"Ne soit pas inquiète mon amie. They will be surprised when we will be there."

"I hope we are not slowing you down," the second cruiser said.

"We have the same speed. The Sardignians have great power when it comes to mobility, like us. I wished they had stayed on our side instead of joining our enemies. I wish I could have seen what happened during the Great War…"

"Not that we know better than you."

"Paris told me about the Great War and the cooperation that used to exist between Iris and Sardegna. Then Littorio and the new government came along and declared us their eternal rivals. Paris told me that the old guard of Sardegna are great fellows. I hope she says the truth."

"I still wished I could do a trip to the _Città Eterna._ I have never made a step into the legendary city," said the third cruiser.

"Ahah! La Argentina!" laughed the second cruiser. "You were built by the Royal navy. What's the importance of such a city to you!"

"Shut up Mayo!" Almirante Brown said on a harsh tone to her sister. "She doesn't need to be partly Sardignian to like something. Jeez…"

Veinticinco de Mayo sighed. She could never have fun with them. The sweaty, harsh and hot climate of the south made them cheerful under these conditions. The rain and the colder climate made them uncomfortable. Almirante Brown, as the cruiser's pride of the Patagonian Sun, had to dress elegantly and honor the Free Latin Union on Europa's water. Richelieu, her book in hand, understood her struggle. As the pride of the Iris Libre fleet, she had to live up to high standard. The destroyers in front of them slowed down to their side.

"Do you girls ear that?" the destroyer Mendoza asked.

Distinct Siren noises came from the mist far away. Richelieu recognized this iconic and fear inducing noise. She had experienced it herself at the beginning of the war.

"The battle is near."

The _Patagonian Sun_'s reinforcement had no idea what that sound meant.

[…]

Geraes' impressive broadside impressed both Alfonso and Victoria. In one salvo, she had damage all their cruisers screen. Alfonso and Victoria concentrated their fire on the single battleship. Alfonso hoped Jaime I would not be wounded by their gunfire.

Geraes' roaring guns hit Marte and Jupiter. The minelayer let go of their unstable mines, some detonating at the contact of the water. The damaged destroyers broke off formation in disarray.

"Run! Run before my gun become too hot for you to handle."

Jaime I and Geraes' plan worked out. Their diversion drove them away and would give them time to deal with the planes now at less than five hundred meters. Their cockpit was visible. The staggering sound of the _condors_ contrasted with the more silent and faster _Sparviero_ torpedo bomber. Little black capsules, bombs, and long cylindrical tubes, torpedoes, started raining down on the ship formation. Water was spurred in mushroom's shape. The valiant fighters emptied their machine-guns as they were harassed by the secondary armaments of the bombers. Eagle was powerless as she watched her little children torn to bits. Multitude of planes started falling from the sky in balls of fire.

Gibraltar's port was now invaded by smoke and fires. Oil tankers detonated and blasted with oily fire their surroundings.

Sailors aboard Buiza's gunboat were manning their machine-guns. Buiza was maneuvering his ship out of harm's way.

In the middle of the battle, the destroyers and cruisers still lead the attack against the heavy cruisers. Canarias was happy that their enemy were not retreating. Both side opened fire and deployed their torpedoes.

Jaime's guns had downed multiple aircrafts when an aerial torpedo hit her riggings' secondaries. The 102mm ammunition detonated setting fire to her forward rigging. Geraes, too busy with aircrafts, did not see anything.

[Battle B-4]

Eagle's _Swordfishes_ bomber had reached the enemy formations and launch their torpedoes. In the middle of the chaos, Cesare Battisti and Nazario Sauro were sank by both torpedoes and gunfire. Francesco Nullo, seeing her sisters engulfed in flames, ran away chased by Eagle's bomber. A torpedo struck her side and slowed her down considerably. The minelayers imitated Nullo and steamed away from the battle.

When Baleares tried to reason with them, the destroyers' torpedoes from Barcáiztegui, Lepanto and Antequera had reach them. Canarias warned her comrades of the danger. San Giorgio, who had been slowed down earlier, was hit again. San Marco and Navarra decided to retreat.

In the middle of the confusion, Canarias saw for a moment her sister crying in the water gradually becoming redder. A second torpedo hit her. The subsequent detonation illuminated the battlefield in a reddish glow. Canarias could not believe it. She tried approaching the hot carcass, but Navarra held her firmly.

"We have to retreat for now!"

"Baleares! Baleares!"

[…]

Jaime's fire had become uncontrollable and the trail of smoke reached the sky. She had no fire extinguisher. Geraes tried asking Buiza's for extinguishers. They were gone far away to the base. Almirante Latorre joined in the effort to control the flames.

"It burns! It burns!"

Part of Jaime's costume was now burning in a fierce fire that was not about to give up. She tried washing it with water. From the other side of the battlefield, Alfonso saw the gruesome scene and rushed to her side. Victoria Eugenia tried restraining her. To no avail.

"I have to rescue her!"

"They won't let you through!"

Ignoring her words, Alfonso traveled the battlefield when she was met by gunfire from the light cruisers.

"Do you think we will let you through!" Cairo said.

"My sister is on fire! I need to save her!" repeated Alfonso with an expression bordering insanity.

The cruisers finally allowed to let her through with the only condition of her surrender. Alfonso did not hear the last part. She rushed to Jaime's side and washed her with water when she saw that oil had leak and cover her surroundings. They were effectively covering her in gasoline.

"Stop you two! You are throwing oil!"

"It looks like water and what the fuck are you doing on our side?" Geraes said.

Latorre said, "No time for such squabble! And what is it with this useless rain!"

The small rain had made no difference in slowing the spread of the fire. Alfonso knew why.

"Jaime! Uncouple your riggings now!" Alfonso screamed.

With no ounce of hesitation, Alfonso stepped into the oily water. She tried unscrewing her riggings, but the screw had become so hot it burned through alfonso's white gloves. Alfonso tried again burning her skin and intoxicating herself with the smoke. She knew that the rain could not extinguish the fire. The fire was inside the rigging when some ammunition detonated. No amount of burning would make her stop.

She had to undo the Siren's prophecy that was unfolding beside her.

Almirante Latorre and Minas Geraes had to stop their effort when gunfire reached their position from the north and south. Retreating forces had return to the hailstorm unleashed upon the port.

It did not matter for Alfonso who had destroyed two of the four screw on left rigging. Alfonso could not feel her finger when Jaime I collapsed in the water. Jaime I burst as the main gun ammunition reduced her to ashes. Alfonso was pushed back further were the rain washed the fire and the oil away. Devastated, burned and paralyzed, Alfonso called relentlessly for Victoria Eugenia. After minutes, she finally reached her side.

"Sorry I couldn't be your shield," Eugenia said.

"It doesn't matter," Alfonso said with a voice poisoned by carbon dioxide. "Listen carefully, I won't live for long."

"What do you mean? You are still alive. Wounded but alive."

"No. I failed. Listen. I failed," Alfonso said while her face was washed by the rain. Eugenia couldn't recognize if it was rain, tears or both. "Informed everyone from both side about the return of the…"

As she was about to pronounce the word, she felt a grip compressing her heart. To Eugenia, it looked like an epilepsy crisis. Alfonso returned to normal.

"We are in danger. They are back. The greatest threat to mankind has returned. Please! I might be condemned now, but at least don't let me go in vain. I don't want to be forgotten!"

Eugenia cuddled her when Alfonso's voice asked her to go.

"Go to whomever you like. You are now free from me. Understood? Don't let anyone dictate you anymore. You are free."

"I will be honoring your legacy. Your majesty."

Reina Eugenia Victoria put her down and bowed one last time before joining the battle on Azur Lane's side.

Alfonso thought, "And she only followed me because I was the one to pressure her into existence. How cool and dedicated you were. I should have followed my heart. Not some bitch with stupid prophecy. God, if you exist, would you grant me another chance? A chance alongside my sisters and a great commander. Can this commander defy the odds for me? Can our destinies be avoided? Can I finally see a battle and shine like everyone else? I only ask to be the sun to someone's heart."

As she was thinking, waves had pushed mines dropped earlier by the minelayers in the middle of the battle. She fixed these spiky balls as they were pushed slowly by the waves. The objects formed a minefield. The first time, she had stepped into them. Now, the minefield had come for her. She watched hopelessly as balls menacingly approached. Three meters. Two meters. One meters. When she was struck, she did not cry nor scream. She let the sea claim her as she was drag to the bottom by invisible hands.

[…]

Somewhere

Tester β looked at the parameters. Everything had followed a single overdue path. Observer α, still glued to her blue screen, let the first battle ended and arranged her observation.

"I am right when I say that destiny always catches up to someone."

"That was fantastic!" The Purifier jubilated behind Observer α. The spectacle has satisfied her, and she thanked Observer α for her efforts.

"It should have been you!" Observer α laughed. "You made me move from my chair you stupid buffoon"

"I made you do a little bit of sport to lower the fat around your belly. You should thank me!"

They both laughed as The Compiler and The Swordman entered the room. Silence followed.

"Did we interrupt something?" The Swordman asked.

"I thought that maybe destiny could be played with, but it failed miserably," noted Observer.

"The second part of the battle of Gibraltar is still to be looked at," Tester β said.

"I hope you will have great data for me to stock," The Compiler took Observer's data key from her hand. On the top of her gigantic machinery, the Compiler stored her key in the storeroom of her riggings. The blue thing then walked out of the room without saying another word. The shipgirl with spider-like riggings asked to be deployed to the Österreich immediately.

"Not now," answered Observer. "The Sardignians won't move on their prey until they have the support of the Ironblood. For now, Ironblood's admiral and commandants are showing restraint in the war."

"Should I… pressure them?"

"Stay patient. I know you are eager to avenge them. Everything will happen in due time. You do not want to anger our Creator, do you? Especially since he sees a lot of potential in you."

"But one of my target, Bismarck is already dead! Why didn't you let her live like in _line R_?

"This was an anomaly in the space-time continuum. And you still have Tirpitz, Gneisenau, Scharnhorst, Littorio, Vittorio Veneto, Roma, Impero, Giulio Cesare, Conte di Cavour, Yamato, Andrea Doria, Caio Duilio, Reina Victoria Eugenia, Musashi, Shinano, Ise and Hyuuga that are alive. My god your list is long. Shouldn't you reduce it a little bit?"

"They will suffer my wrath."

"But the one in every other universe are innocent of the crimes committed in _line R_. Has your brain fried?"

The Swordman stayed silent. She had but one objective and would follow it until the end. Observer α reiterated the contract she had between them. She excused herself and reiterated her unfaltering loyalty to the Siren's cause.


	8. Unpleasant Fate

South of Gibraltar

In the few minutes after the airstrike, both the Northwest Front and Southwest Front finally made visual contact with Gibraltar. Their plan of encirclement was unfolding. Deutschland noticed the absence of signals from the capital ships of the middle force. Finally, the pocket battleship received a signal from the remaining cruisers.

"Canarias, San Marco! What are you doing! What happened!"

"We… We were annihilated."

"Where's Alfonso and Victoria!?"

"Alfonso is dead, and… Victoria joined Azur Lane."

Deutschland would have eaten her own microphone if it would not have been for Algérie calm temper. It is not one less ally that would hinder their plan. Her mere presence made the cruisers run for their lives. And two enemy battleships were missing. They might have run for their lives after seeing Dunkerque and Provence.

"To everyone," announced Dunkerque. "We will separate in two taskforce to encircle them in the north."

"They have gone after the north?" Deutschland asked.

"It seems they forgot the cruisers from the middle force. We will use our speed to flank them from the front. The slower ship will go around the island."

Deutschland was suddenly worried about Scheer. Ajax's words came back like a nightmare.

"Before coming here, she had a showdown with me, Achilles and Exeter. We defeated your sister."

[…]

The faster Ajax was tailed by the slower Lezo and the terribly slow Albuquerque and Dias. The destroyers had already explained the situation to Buiza. He didn't believe that Riachuelo and São Paulo vanished during the battle. Ajax confirmed. At the start of the battle, they were separated by a mist and bad weather. They were stormed by planes and she had pick up submarine activities on her sonar.

"Let's hope nothing bad happened."

The news of their disappearance did not shake Minas Geraes in the slightest. Now that the planes were gone, and they had taken out the center, he had an important decision to take.

"We will attack the north where they have the most outdated capital ship. When this is dealt with, we will defend ourselves against the south."

"Understood!" they cheered.

Eagle, Rivadavia, Moreno, Geraes and Latorre accelerated toward the north. A sudden explosion was heard in the distance. It was beside Jaime I who had exploded earlier. The flag of Alfonso's faction was burning in a puddle of oily mixture. Alfonso could not be seen through the rain and smoke. Deep down, he knew Alfonso was gone. They never had been on the best terms. Weeks before the civil war, she became cold toward him. He did not know why. Did she know he would never join her? Was the civil war inevitable with the Crimson Axis at their doorstep? He wanted to know, but the answer disappeared along with her instigator.

A silhouette came out of the smoke. It was Reina Victoria Eugenia. Her guns were pointed away and her hands were in the air. It was a clear sign of surrendering. While his shipgirls were now one kilometre ahead of him, Buiza welcomed her while Libertad pointed her with her guns.

"Libertad, it is unnecessary."

"It might be a trick."

He looked at the blazing fires. It was a massacre. Alfonso, Jaime I, San Giorgio and Baleares were gone. The sight of Victoria was his last hope before breaking down. Buisa listened to her with his heart.

"Now that I am not bound to follow Alfonso's heart, I will follow mine. And it wants to continue both Alfonso's and Espana's legacy."

"I want you to tell me everything if there is an after-battle to all of this. Can you promise me? For now, go back to the base and help Exeter to fight the fires in the port."

She acknowledged. In a single formation, they steamed toward the northern formation. Eagle sent preemptive torpedo strikes.

[…]

"Scheer to Southern force, we made contact with Buiza's forces. They are outnumbering us."

"We are way too slow to retreat!" noted Schleswig-Holstein.

"It seems we went in the mouth of the beast," Schlesien added.

"Prepare for a defense in depth!" Sachsen declared.

The Vichya's destroyers, Panthère, Tigre, Verdun, Le Hardi and L'Indomptable were the perfect candidates for this strategy with their superior speed. The only problem was that the rest of the fleet, especially their much slower comrades Velasco, Huesca, Ceuta, Libeccio and Grecale, made it much more difficult to execute.

"While you retreat, we will use our superior speed to harass them!" L'Indomptable suggested.

"I will help you!" Scheer said. "I might not have much speed, but I won't let you be pounded by their guns."

"Don't underestimate us," Verdun said. "Speed and firepower are our greatest assets."

While the fast destroyers and Scheer charged at the enemy, the taskforce slowly retreated to a safe distance to wait for the southern formation.

The second part of the Battle of Gibraltar was a game of cat and mouse. Buiza did not have the initiative in the engagements and relied heavily on Eagle's useless torpedo bombers against the agile destroyers. Scheer fired at their formation from a safe distance while Latorre tried hard to impress her sister with her sniper shot. The lone queen of the south did not believe in any sun god, but the malediction of the rain made their shots ten times harder. It was difficult to not believe some other unearthly forces were at play. These terrible meteorological were reminiscent of their battles against the Siren during the Great War. When they battled around La Plata, the sky darkened, and thunder covered the field. When they battle battled in Antarctica, snow almost engulfed the battlefield and would have killed them all if it had not been for her sister and the early aircraft carriers who had destroyed the meteorological equipment of the Sirens. Had Ironblood found and reverse-engineered such a powerful technology? She had little doubts. The rain and waves were now playing at their disadvantage.

[Battle A-1]

The mist suddenly made the enemy backline disappear from her sight. Latorre could only faintly see the shark rigging of Admiral Scheer. Thunderous sound resonated throughout the battlefield. Faint yellow glow traveled in the mist and splashed in the water. Latorre stopped the useless firing and concentrated herself on the distant sound of heels against water. Admiral Scheer's speed was distinct from the speedier destroyers battling it out in front of them.

The 283mm made a distinct sound. Latorre studies their pattern with the speed of Admiral Scheer. All alone in the south, the lone queen did not waste any time to lament her fate. She studied the progression of armored warfare and the different technologies developed over the time. Her sister being an aircraft carrier and seeing the impact she had in the battle of Antarctica, she had predicted that battleship would be replaced by aircraft carrier as the center piece of a taskforce. In order to move with the time, she fitted herself with more anti-aircraft guns. More and more. If another war were to start, she would be able to defend her sister or any carrier with her anti-air capability. It did not mean she did not practice her gunning ability. She practiced.

And now she was applying it.

Each triple-gun 356mm turret fired in a beautiful synchronized melody.

[Battle A-2]

In the thick mist, the fast destroyers benefited from the element of surprise on their numerically superior enemy. Le Hardi and L'Indomptable were releasing torpedoes in a X shape throwing their enemies in disarray. Buenos Aires complained about their complete uselessness against their superior enemies.

"We are only small destroyer!"

An explosion was heard. In the mist, it was impossible to know who had been hit.

"We should go back to our cruisers!" Guadiana pleaded.

As she said that, a small silhouette drove by. The predators were closing in.

"Yeah go back to your friends Arrr!"

Tigre and Panthère started making a rumbling sound. It came from everywhere and nowhere at the same time. Guadiana saw Vouga disappeared after a catastrophic explosion that made the mist orange. She went toward the smoke. On her side, she was surprised by Verdun's 138mm. Guadiana missed.

[Battle A-3]

The total lost of initiative and the complete mess that was the destroyer line, the cruiser stayed at a distance awaiting Buiza's order.

"We can't catch up to them, what do we do?" Bahia said.

No answer.

"Again with this problem!" Rio Grande do Sul said.

"What is the problem?" Blaz de Lezo asked.

"Earlier, we had this problem with our communication, and we lost sight of São Paulo and Riachuelo in the process."

"Let's regroup with the battleship!" Afonso de Albuquerque said.

"Let's help the destroyers!" Bartolomeu Dias pleaded at the same time.

They looked at each other. They defended their decision while the other were trying to contact HQ. Liverpool sighed. What was this mist and how did it interact with their radio? At this point, no one thought of it as a natural phenomenon. They all reached the conclusion that it was one of the new technology Ironblood was testing.

"For now, we should regroup with Buiza," Miguel de Cervantes insisted.

Ajax looked at her compass. It had gone haywire spinning out of control. Liverpool made sure she would report that back to his highness Somerville. A distant explosion, to what they remembered as the north, was heard in the distance.

[…]

Latorre smiled with satisfaction.

"Eagle, send your torpedo bombers to these northern coordinates."

Eagle did not hesitate in the least. Latorre's calculation seemed to have worked. Buiza was impressed by this shipgirl that had been stuck in the south for so long. The Great War seemed to have shaped her greatly. He liked the southern girl more and more. The Espana's class battleship had perished and the disappearance of Riachuelo and São Paulo left him a bitter taste in his mouth. They, who had been a great power, were reduced to a ghost and needed other countries to defend them. They were truly a devastated nation.

As he was lost in his thinking, sudden enemy fire reached them. His gunboat was pierced in the front bow and taking on water. The sudden attack left him speechless. From the south east, Württemberg appeared alongside Deutschland and Algérie. The destroyers Sella, Crispi, Riboty and Gerfaut were going so fast toward their formation that Latorre calculated they would not be able to defend the rear.

As if anything could get any worse, Canarias, San Giorgio and Navarra reappeared with them.

"Rivadavia, Moreno, Geraes," Latorre said. "Don't waste your time trying to outgun them. Eagle! Hide behind us and we will wait for your planes. cruisers… act as my shield, would you?"

"No need to ask!" Cairo said valiantly.

Mendez Nunez, Almirante Grau and Coronel Bolognesi prepared their gun. Now they would act as cruisers of the line and not anti-air units. Libertad was holding the gunboat while Buiza was dealing with the leak from the shell.

"Go help them Libertad. I am abandoning ship. Everyone, prepare the lifeboat."

The three sailors alongside him agreed. Libertad let go of the gunboat.

"Commander, I will be waiting for you at the beach."

[…]

Deutschland fired without consideration at the enemy formation. Algérie tried to calm her down.

"If I don't come back with Ajax as my slave, I'll be pissed."

"For now, let's try to win. The odds are against us," Almirante Cervera said with pessimism.

"I won't tolerate defeatism!" Deutschland vociferated. "There is no place for cowardice under my command, be obedient and nothing else."

"Yes, your highness Deutschland."

The pocket battleship had thought of a plan. Her faster units, the Dunkerque, Provence and the super-fast destroyers were going around Gibraltar in a slight mist to take them from the west. Completely encircled, their numerical inferiority would be compensated by fire from all side. She thought of her plan as incredible. The mist jamming their communication and radar was the best tool at their disposition. There was no way she would let pass the occasion.

"Deutschland to HQ IR, we ask for Gibraltar to be engulf in mist. Make it that their ground plane cannot make it to battle."

"Understood," said the voice on the other side.

For now, they would attack. Deutschland lead the charge.

[Battle A-4]

Provence and Dunkerque were proceeding around the island of Gibraltar at great speed when they were suddenly fired upon by a mysterious formation.

"We were not made aware of such units," Provence screamed.

"It seems they had even more unit on the way," Dunkerque said.

"Listen to me sisters," Richelieu's divine voice reached them. "Azur Lane's battle is not finished. Your place is not beside them, but beside me. Your divine destinies are to help us win our divine battle."

"To hell with Azur Lane!" Provence screamed. "You'll pay too in due time."

Dunkerque and Provence agreed to not go further. They didn't know if more unit were on their way. They retreated with their fast destroyers back to Vichya's Dominion territory. They were attacked by submarines.

"Do not think we will let you get away!" Santa Fe thought.

"We got bad news for you!" said Veinticinco de Mayo. "But we have Sardignian's engines! We are in the competition for fast cruisers."

"Who cares!" Provence said. "Lion, Lynx, Guépard. Show them who's faster!"

[Battle B-1]

In the open field, the fast destroyers were heavily wounded and easily taken care of. Richelieu ordered a cease-fire on the destroyers. She didn't want to see her comrades getting killed again. She warned them.

"We won't kill you. Go think about your actions. The holy script shall guide you in the light."

The battleship disappeared around Gibraltar. The destroyers slowly walked away.

"What a boring encounter. We were not even scratched!" Veinticinco de Mayo complained.

"We should count ourselves lucky," La Argentina said.

"They thought we were a bigger force," noticed Almirante Brown. "Good work, little friends."

Mendoza, La Rioja and Tucumán celebrated their first naval victory. The submarines surfaced and asked for additional orders. In less than ten minutes, they were behind Deutschland's forces.

[…]

Schleswig-Holstein, Schlesien and Sachsen were going back in the battle when planes came from the north. Swordfishes deployed their torpedoes and shells started landing near them. On the horizon, Ark Royal, King George V and Rodney appeared. They had lost contact with the south. The operation was failure. They ran away in the mist. Dupleix, Alberto Di Guissano and Alberico Da Barbiano, not willing to risk any further deaths, sent a signal to Admiral Scheer.

"We lost! Retreat now."

"I am damage you dumbdumb! I need help."

Guissano and Barbiano went to the damage pocket battleship. The 356mm shells had pierce everywhere. Her second battery was destroyed. Her engines were leaking, and her chest was open like a tin can.

"You were not missed by an inch."

Additional planes came in.

[Battle B-2]

"That should scare them of," King George V said.

"This mist is still in our way," Rodney said.

"We will have to get closer… I can't wait to see these little southern girls!"

[…]

Deutschland received the news from Provence that it was too late. They had to retreat. She had done enough damage to their formations. Deutschland was cut apart by Almirante Latorre shot of a surgical precision. Her torpedoes exploded in the front of her rigging destroying the rear turret. Her front turret was smashed to pieces. Algérie was luckier with her speed but still suffered damage from a torpedo. Only Almirante Cervera didn't suffer any damage. Her old allies were not shouting at her and Almirante Cervera was having second thoughts. Was she doing what was expected of her? Seeing her determined sister Libertad reinvigorated her. It was like being alone in this camp left her with a hole in her heart. For now, she continued firing at the destroyers and she missed every shots.

[Battle B-3]

"Deutschland, we lost. Operation Felix is a failure. Let's go back."

"No! No! No! I need to avenge Graf Spee!"

"We don't have the confirmation that she really sank!" Algérie argued. "For now, we need to retreat."

They stepped away from the battle without another shot being fire. The Battle of Gibraltar had come to an end.

Latorre sighed with relief. She felt like she had over-capacitated her brain. Eagle went to her sister and congratulated her. She was about to launch a last strike when Latorre's hand placed itself on her hangar.

"We did our job… Let's try to tow the bodies of the deceased."

Eagle saw in her eyes the same anguish she had in the Great War. Her face toward the sky, she felt the light and cold rain on her skin. In the middle of the carnage, silence. They regrouped at the port where the fire ravaged the installation. Still, the people came down from their house and celebrated Buiza's accomplishments as a hero. Somerville stepped over the rocky stairs and came in person congratulating him. Under the ovations, the shipgirls were tending to their wound.

At sea, Latorre searched for Alfonso. She could not locate her body.

"I need to save her," had said Alfonso.

Was it prophecy?

She found the burnt body of Jaime I drift. Latorre took it her arm and want to the beach where, with Eagle, she buried Jaime I in the north of Gibraltar, under a rock, out of the common people's view. Only sailors would be able to see this weird looking shrine from afar. The rocks formed a beautiful star oriented toward the sunrise and could be seen until midday.

"You are not forced to take the burden of the dead every time," Eagle said.

"And letting her drift away forever on never ending seas? At least, let her turrets rust forever toward the sun."

Jaime's four batteries were arranged behind the star and would point the sun forever. Even if there was only one body, Latorre marked down in the sand the name of Espana and Alfonso. At least, they would never end up alone.

"You know… We can try to get you some vacations in England."

"Don't worry. I am accustomed to this. Against the Siren, you remember? How much we lost in that stupid war. I still remember the last one I had to bury in deep snow. Who was she already? The girl with a determination of steel."

"I still remember Viribus Unitis."

"What a shame. Maybe Dante Alighieri would have decided to live if she had survived. I feel like it's not far from far-fetched."

"I feel this too. I feel like we are living in a weird dream. Like it was not our true destiny. Someone messing with time."

The two girls went back to the celebrations. The shipgirls in the port were obviously not in the mood but were trying to keep a fake smile. Liverpool, Cairo and Belfast were doing their maid stuff. The newly arrived Richelieu was stealing the spotlight from the bragger Veinticinco de Mayo. Latorre searched among the survivors of the battle.

Still no trace of Riachuelo and São Paulo.

[…]

After the battle, the Crimson Axis submarines ran for their lives as their friends above ran faster than them without any consideration. It left the underwater attacker vulnerable. The Royal Navy submarines accompanied by Santa Fe, Santiago del Estero and Salta pursued them at full speed. They did not engage right away. They waited for their allies to disappear from the perimeter. After minutes, it happened. Weirdly, one of them had to surface and it was Durbo.

"This mechanics on this are complete trash," she said as she vomited in the water while pounding her chloromethane leaking rigging.

The confuse submarine did not see the other submarines surface beside her. Durbo was completely induced in her hallucinations that she did not see them as enemy.

"`That's what I said to our stupid superior," Durbo ranted about her riggings like she was talking to friends. "These stupid riggings always leak! Didn't they see what happened to Macallé!"

Upright did not want to break her disillusions but São Paulo was of another opinion.

"_Amigo_! We are the enemy and you are coming with us."

"What!?" Durbo said while looking around. She still saw these weird silhouettes. Suddenly, her eyes seemed to fall in an endless pit. She vomited again. The little girl in pain took the phone and screamed in it.

"Lafolè! Get back here! I need your…"

She fell back like an emotionless doll. The voice of Lafolè could be heard on the receiving end.

Ultimatum intervened, "Inspect her rigging! Their must be important codes and orders."

The emotionless doll, with her bloody eyes, tried to scuttle herself with a torpedo.

[Battle B-4]

Upright held her arms in place as the submarine tried to free herself but the poison had completely engulfed her in madness. Santiago del Estero felt sick not from the poison but from what would be ahead of them. Santa Fe comforted her as she received some of the keys from Unbroken. As they held the code keys in their hands, Urge took the Blackbox out of the control room. The rigging was now leaking water. Upright released her from her grip.

"We can't leave her there," São Paulo argued.

"Then throw away your keys and enjoy the punishment," Upholder abruptly said.

São Paulo looked at the three keys the size of a hand. They were neither light nor heavy. Their blue color reflected the sun and São Paulo could see her indecisive face in it. She had no pockets nor free opening in her rigging to store the information. Her eyes in her reflection were begging her not to make the wrong decision.

She threw the keys.

As Durbo was slipping beneath the waves, São Paulo took her by the arms. The Sardignian submarine was unconscious. São Paulo held her in her arms as she sailed back to Gibraltar behind the group. When they reached the docks, they were greeted by a party. The babble of the workers in addition to the gossiping of the different groups animated the damaged dock.

Admiral Somerville and commander Buiza greeted the returning submarines. Their cargo was immediately handled by men in black and secured for decryption. São Paulo dragged Durbo's body to the infirmary with the help of her sisters. Buiza and Latorre followed the nurses with the red cross. The Royal Navy submarines, who were not questioned by Somerville, kept the situation as a secret.

In the following days, the submarines decrypted on Durbo's keys were hunted down by Ark Royal, Eagle and destroyers in the area.

Lafolè and Tembien, spotted by Ark Royal, were forced to immerge and were torpedoed by destroyers.

In the vicinity, Iride surfaced after seeing the balls of fire. Eagle's torpedo bombers charged at her. Seeing she would have not the time to dodge them, Iride fell in the water hoping some of her rigging would remain. It was disintegrated. Iride drowned.

Naiade, Rubino, Diamante and Capitano Raffaele Tarantini tried to run back to ally waters when they were spotted by a group of destroyers lead by HMS Thunderbolt. The ten destroyers rained hell on their head as they tried to dodge depth charges. The cruel accuracy of the destroyers sank all except Tarantini who surfaced and was rammed by Thunderbolt. The danger of Crimson Axis planes made them depart rapidly from the scene leaving Tarantini to drown.

* * *

Sorry for delivering the last part of the story later (I forgot to add it last week)

Intervention Force North

· Carriers : Ark Royal

· Battleships : King George V / Rodney

· Cruisers : Belfast / Sheffield

· Destroyers : Sikh / Zulu / Maori / Mashona / Tartar

Intervention Force South 

· Battleships : Richelieu

· Cruisers : Almirante Brown / Veinticinco de Mayo / La Argentina

· Destroyers : Mendoza / La Rioja / Tucumán

Submarines : Santa Fe / Santiago del Estero / Salta


	9. The Dwindling Torch and the Fiery Cube

Madrid

The retreat had been chaotic, and every ship went to their respective bases. Canarias would have like to dock elsewhere, but she was forced to come back to Madrid and would have to explain the complete failure of _Operation Felix_ and the lost of their entire capital ship roster. She would have to also reveal the betrayal of Reina Victoria Eugenia.

And her sister had perished. She harbored a deep hatred toward Ironblood and Blanco for their careless handling of the middle force that was supposed to act as a diversion. They had not been briefed on the presence of an aircraft carrier that annihilated them before they were able to start the fight.

"If only she had not been there," Canarias repeated.

"What is it?" the slow and damaged cruiser Navarra asked.

Almirante Cervera and Navarra were the only cruiser left. The destroyers were following behind. She was the biggest ship afloat in the remaining of their navy. She did not want such a burden, especially after the sudden death of Baleares.

In his study room, admiral Blanco stared at the blackened and wounded cruiser who did not bother to go to the infirmary. She wanted her matter done as soon as possible.

"It seems we have lost."

"The circumstances worked against us."

"Even with one of the most powerful Ironblood technology, weather control, we lost the battle. Where is Alfonso."

"She… She's dead sir. Along with Jaime I and Victoria Eugenia joined Azur Lane."

"Seems like there's no longer any need to keep our façade anymore."

Canarias looked at him in disarray. Admiral Blanco stood up and went to a pile of documents in a graceful matter opposite to the sweat pouring from his forehead.

"We were treading a narrow path. With the annihilation of our forces, Ironblood will see no use in keeping us independent and will transform us into a similar puppet to Vichya. Unfortunately, I might not be alive to see this to his completion because I will be accused of the wrongdoing. The Iberian Union is on the verge of total collapse. Our country will be torn between Azur Lane and Ironblood."

The choice for her was easy. She wanted that aircraft carrier alive or dead. The cruiser made her demand clear to the admiral who gently denied her request. She saw the man pile up all the paper. He lighted himself a cigarette. She was more and more hostile toward the admiral and could see what he was getting at. He threw the cigarette that started to burn through the papers. His cap ended in the fire. Blanco pushed aside Canarias who was fixated on the charcoal resulting from the paper burning.

"You should join Azur Lane too," he said gently.

While Admiral Blanco disappeared in the stairs, Canarias looked at the fire until it burned out only leaving black volatile piece of paper.

[…]

In the night, Blanco and two workers prepared a torpedo boat to reach Gibraltar under the cover of darkness. The T-3 was readied and departed toward Gibraltar at a slow speed to not spark the sleeping residents. From the cover of a rock, Canarias in her full rigging looked at the sailing vessel. An easy prey.

The sound of shells echoed through the night. Light started illuminating the damaged streets of Madrid. The alarms rang. The town though they were being attacked. The residents on the shore noticed the drifting torpedo boat engulfed in fire. The sound had stopped, but not the alarms.

In total, Canarias fired three salvoes of only high explosive shells. Only her last two landed and it had been enough to reduce the torpedo boat to the pile of papers she had seen earlier in Blanco's room. From the side of her rock that hid her from plain sight, she looked at the burning boat that light up what was left of her heart if she had one to begin with. The cruiser never thought herself more than a killing machine. Shipgirl had to accomplish their goals fixated by their superiors. Only this one ran away with his balls between his legs. She had no place for cowardice in her book.

When the night returned, and a patrol boat boarded the blackened torpedo boat, Canarias went back to her dorm.

[…]

Ironblood Advanced Headquarters, Brest

Admiral Gerhard Wagner, the head behind Operation Felix, had had enough and prepared himself to board his personal _Schnellboot_ and head to Madrid himself. This time, they were not here to help, but to occupy what remain of the Red Confederation of Iberia and incorporate the remnants of the Iberian Armada into their fleet. At his side, Gneisenau stayed like an obeying secretary waiting for the man to finish reading the next operation.

"So, it is now called Operation Gisella…"

The man had faith that at least this would work.

Wagner said on his usual low tone, obstructed by his smoking habit, "Is it really true that Reina Victoria Eugenia switched side?"

The submarine General Mola answered, "Yes sir! We saw it with our own eyes."

Her sister General Sanjurjo was beside the platform on her rigging and acknowledge her sister's saying.

"U-28, U-73 and U-573, you are coming with us. The submarine Arquimede and Torricelli will lead the way to Madrid."

He was referencing Mola and Sanjurjo. The trio saluted and prepared their departure. Wagner stepped on his_ Schnellboot_ and addressed his revigorated fleet.

"We will take Madrid under our control and use it as a defense post against incursion from the west. We will have help from our Vichya friends again. Sardegna retired from any more incursion now in preparation for Operation 25 in two days. Let's hope we don't get too much resistance down there."

He was hailed while Deutschland remained in her corner with Admiral Scheer. They were eager for a fight, Deutschland more so than her sister. Graf Spee's last stand was now old news. For this fight, Ajax, Exeter and Achilles took the fame. This fame, she wanted to return it ten times. While they were preparing, the last piece on the chessboard disembarked from his car and went to the _Schnellboot. _He saluted the admiral with a funny expression.

"Welcome aboard Commander Langsdorff."

[…]

Littorio had her eyes still set on the land of the Österreich. She took the news of the sinking of San Giorgio and their destroyers in a cold manner. At least, Alberto Di Guissano and Alberico Da Barbiano had made it back alive.

"Didn't I said to run away immediately when danger arose!" Littorio said.

"We were caught off guard by planes from an aircraft carrier," San Marco defended herself. "And we were totally useless against light cruiser."

'I should have had you scrapped along with Dante Alighieri,' thought Littorio. "For now, I am relocating you on training ground for our news Capitani-Romani cruisers."

Without saying a word, the old bodyguard of Dante Alighieri went to the training ground in La Spezia. Vittorio Veneto looked kind of worried.

"This second test seems to show that we are facing bigger odds than what we can actually face."

"With the _Free Latin Union_ on our asses, it seems the Royal Navy was able to buy precious time. At least, the Österreich won't have that luxury when we control the Adriatic."

"I hope Gibraltar won't be a thorn in our side like Malta."

Littorio looked at the dock.

"My strategic insight won't lead us to doom. Don't worry."

[…]

Madrid

"Are the rumors true?" asked Almirante Cervera.

"Unfortunately, yes. Admiral Blanco hit a mine in his escape attempt and died," Canarias said.

What Canarias failed to say was the fact that she bombed him and spread the rumors in hope to discourage anyone from starting an insurrection. As the next in the line of succession, Canarias took the throne to herself and waited for reinforcement from Ironblood. If Azur Lane had attacked now, they would have been done for with only a meager force of one heavy cruiser, two light cruisers and some destroyers, among them some who were only minelayers. With the destruction of the factories, they would have to rely on Ironblood equipment to compliment or retrofit themselves.

Mola and the wolfpack appeared on the horizon followed by the _Schnellboot_ of Wagner. Upon docking, Canarias immediately saluted them and affirmed her loyalty to her new masters. Commander Langsdorff was happy to see that the transfer happened without an ounce of oil spilled. As a reward, the admiral Wagner abstained himself from renaming them for bureaucratic purposes. They could keep their Iberian names. Even with all her devotion, the Ironblood battleship started scorning the Iberian cruisers for the desertion of Victoria Eugenia. Canarias took the unnecessary beating while Navarra and Almirante Cervera were showing disdain for such manners.

Navarra was now called "_Sigamos a la flota_" because of her light cruiser armament, but her battleship speed and maneuverability. Almirante Cervera and Canarias had escaped such naming because of their relatively good performance. Canarias was trying to stand to her allies Deutschland, Admiral Scheer and Koln who were kinder toward her and almost treated her as a Hipper-class heavy cruiser. She failed to see how they were alike apart from turret arrangement. Maybe they were trying to link her to something positive to improve her standing.

"Will I be able to meet of them one day?"

"I would be surprised," Admiral Scheer said, "After all, Hipper is pampered by her commander. Eugen is on a mission in the Österreich. Blucher and Lützow are on duty in home water and Seydlitz is being hastily retrofitted into a light aircraft carrier."

The conversion of _Seydlitz_ was to supplement _Graf Zeppelin_ (A), _Peter Strasser_ (B) and the two remaining Graf Zeppelin class carrier _Karl Meyer_ (C) and _Gunther Plüschow_ (D). Koln took the time to explain the situation that the sudden increase in spending made them able to continue what Raeder called "_Plan Z_" years before.

"You are a fine addition, but we all know that in the event of your liberation, you will return to your armada."

"This failed navy? I'd prefer your prestigious institutions over mine any day of the week."

"Oh well if you are aboard that much, Canarias, we welcome you," Deutschland said with a profound smile. They were more than happy to have a good heavy cruiser companion to defend Madrid.

[…]

Gibraltar, months later

The port of Gibraltar had become a center piece in the defense of the western Mediterranean and a key piece in the defense of Malta. It was bombed irregularly by the Sardignians and not a single surfaced ship was sighted near the island for days. Crimson Axis submarines could still pass with some risk and the destroyers tried to stay in alert for them. During this long period of quiet times, Latorre stood by ready to react to any incursion. It seemed to Battle of Gibraltar had been her only battle. Her sister, Eagle, was luckier with her job of delivering aircraft to Malta an important task that required her to sail every now and then.

Then they learn from Somerville the death of an old friend, HMS Ark Royal, to the hand of U-81. Latorre started hating her multiple batteries and wished she could fly like her sister. She visited admiral Somerville from time to time. The man appreciated her visit because, as an admiral, they were secluded in their office in a mountain of paperwork. They had minimum contact with the outside and the commanders were usually the one relaying orders to shipgirls if the chain of command followed a classical pattern. The visit of Latorre in his boring office made him smile.

Latorre thought his office far from boring. There were mock-ups of _Swordfishes_ and _Fairey Fulmars_. She took them in her hand and imagine herself flying with them. The admiral was getting accustomed to this lone queen of the south. Her frequent visits brought along her sister Eagle that Somerville had never thought than another aircraft carriers in their arsenal. Seeing them in the flesh suddenly made him realized how much he missed the post of commander.

Commander Buiza was in his open office facing the dock. It remained open for friends and visits, may it be Gibraltar's residents or shipgirls. Apart from Latorre and Eagle, he had the frequent visits of Santa Fe and her sisters. Santa Fe tried to keep the innocent smile she had lost on the faithful day she decided to save an already condemned shipgirl from the grip of death.

Unfortunately for her, Durbo died of her poisoning. Buiza tried to tell repeatedly that it was not her fault. It just happened and fate could be a bitch sometime. Latorre handled her body and buried her beside Alfonso. Routinely and religiously, Latorre would encounter Victoria Eugenia praying beside the improvised tombs. Alfonso's batteries were already starting to rust. Latorre's amount of repainting could do nothing against mother nature. Salt water was an iron killer.

"If only there was a graveyard for us," Victoria said.

"Human get to rest away eaten by organic forms," joked Latorre. "We don't get that luxury with ourselves rotting away until we are dismembered and return to our cubic form. If you are buried like the rest of them, it is like sweet present."

"Are we cursed?"

"As war machines, kinda… No amount of feeling will change the cruel truth."

"Even if we decide our own destiny?"

"In the end, if you stay on one side or another, it is but only the treatment that changes."

"You are full of gospel," Victoria said with her first smile. Latorre was bewildered for a second.

"I thought you were an emotionless doll."

"Like you, I held someone dear to my heart. Thanks to Alfonso, I got both the curse and the blessing of living a live I should have never lived."

Latorre started boasting her sister's achievement and, on their way home, she rambled about her career in the prestigious Royal Navy. Her career before the sun tanned her forever. In the dock, Eagle, Argus, Victorious and Indomitable were chatting when Eagle saw her sister come back. When Victorious saw Victoria, she cheered.

"The victories are back together. -hands could accept help herself you know."

Victoria's smile impressed the gallery who fell under her stunning charm. They thought it was her first time smiling.

"Incredible isn't!" laughed Latorre. "And here we all thought she was an emotionless doll."

"It is because of you Latorre. I never thought someone as hardworking existed."

They laughed and talked for hours on end. Eagle suddenly remember why they were in the dock instead of the dorms.

"Operation Julius. What is this?" Latorre said while holding the official paper Argus had been holding on to.

"Malaya's cunning plan to secure Malta after so many failed convoys. We are still waiting for Nelson and Rodney to arrive tomorrow and start the operation."

"Why not just take me, Geraes or the Rivadavia's sisters?"

"We need as much anti-aircraft firepower and you stay as defense ship. Remember what happens to your boilers when you use too much of your energy?"

Latorre remembered her boilers breaking down after two miles of escort. She suddenly had a grudge against her useless body. Along with her sister of the _Free Latin Union_, they had been reduced to coastal defense ship. After their discussion, they parted way and Latorre went directly to Malaya. Malaya was twice as short as Latorre who seemed like a giant compared to the girl. The Queen Elizabeth's shortness always amused her, but she did not want to be on any bad term with Malaya. The master of Operation Pedestal, who had the approval of Somerville, was in the dorms with Geraes and Rivadavia and Moreno. Since the total disappearance of Riachuelo and São Paulo, Geraes followed Rivadavia wherever they were going. She still hoped for the return of her sister in a divine intervention. Victoria had resigned herself and

"Malaya, what are your plans for this operation."

"Tss… Argus wasn't supposed to disclose it. We never know if they have spies."

"Well now that it is known of everyone, can you tell us?"

Malaya sighed.

"We need to relieve Malta. Is there anything more to say?"

"Is speed paramount in this operation?"

"It is of utmost importance and reliable engines…"

The southern shipgirls laughed. Their engines were plague with mechanical problems and defects.

"But don't worry," Malaya promised, "Your turn will come when Madrid will be needed back in our hands."

Bedouin entered the room. Malaya asked to be left alone with the destroyer. They complied and left. At her dorm, Eagle was waiting for her sister. It was already night. The beautiful stars aligned in the sky in multiple forms that Latorre described to her sister. In the south, she even took the time to learn a little bit of astronomy. The stars reflected themselves in the water making Latorre remembering Jaime I who she did not have the opportunity to bury. Only in name.

"Our Majesty shall be pleased with the surprise we have," Eagle said.

"I wish I could still call her that!" Latorre slightly laughed. "You are going with the convoy Pedestal?"

"Yeah. Our distant covering group will reach Cape Salinas and then we will turn back. The convoy will have accomplished most of the dangerous road by then, we hope…"

"I know it's hard to held promises in time of war. Can you promise me one thing?"

"And what would it be?"

"That you will fight until the end like we are supposed to be?"

"Ahah! You are funny. Of course, I won't use the name of the Queen in vain. I do get to wish for something from you, do I?"

"Go ahead."

"Promise me you will help Victoria Eugenia retake Madrid."

They crossed pinky finger knowing it was out of their control what they were wishing for. Maybe the stars would align to answer their wishes.

[…]

As far as Latorre could remember, the stars never seemed to move from their position in the sky no matter if she were in the north or south. While the stars stayed fixated to the sky, the Earth seemed to have changed a lot in the span of decades. Why distant things seemed slower than nearer things made her head spin. Can these questions really be answered?

The sun irradiated the Mediterranean. When she tested it out, it seemed softer than the burning sun of the south while being harsher than the sun in the north. It was perfect. She was getting accustomed to the Mediterranean, this sea of a unique blue.

While she was batting in the sunlight, Eagle was sailing with the Harpoon convoy in Operation Pedestal, Malaya's jewel. Somerville dispatched false reconnaissance to imply an attack on Madrid. It was a gamble he was willing to take.

Cape Salina had been crossed by Cairo's forces.

Eagle, Victorious, Indomitable and Argus were sitting back. They had not been attacked by aircrafts since the beginning of the operation. The calm water of the Mediterranean mixed with the sunrise gave a beautiful sight in this fifth day of Operation Julius.

A sudden spike of water shattered their contemplation of the sky. The rigging of burst and airplanes were thrown around. The left leg of Eagle was shattered, and she fell in the water. Victorious rushed to her side.

"Stay with me Eagle!" screamed Victorious.

"Destroyers, we need your help!" pleaded Argus.

The sky was invaded by silhouettes of planes. Indomitable's rigging was disable by bombs. Rodney's had sudden boiler problem slowed her down. Nelson, thinking Operation Pedestal had been uncovered, asked for some destroyers to come back with them. She struck a mine. They informed Cairo about the situation and wished them good luck.

Indomitable was holding upon the immobile body of Eagle. She took the time to detach her pierced rigging which sank immediately. The four torpedoes made her fell into what looked like a coma.

The distant covering force sailed back to Gibraltar. Buiza dispatched a hospital ship to try and save Eagle. When they linked with the Harpoon convoy, it was already too late. Eagle had lost too much blood. She was sailed back on a simple chirurgical table where the doctors and higher-ups tried to salvage her cube, but Buiza refused, instead allowing the body to Latorre. In the infirmary, Latorre stayed by Eagle's lifeless body for hour. A useless patch had been put to seal the remaining of her thigh, the remaining of her leg destroyed in the torpedo attack.

"Why of the four what is you!?"

She murmured for hours.

Latorre had a promise to accomplish and she would accomplish it with upmost determination. Eagle had already done half of the deal. Malaya entered the room.

"I'm sorry."

"Was the operation a success?" Latorre asked.

"Malta was saved," Malaya declared both a sad and happy tone.

"Then it is all that matter, my sister has done her duty and she can rest."

"Indomitable recovered this."

Malaya put on the table the only intact inner-rigging Sea Hurricane fighter recovered by Argus while the rigging was sinking. Three were in the sky at the moment of the sinking and made a suicide run against the incoming aircraft downing more than ten each before crashing in the sea without master to come back to. Latorre handled the plane with care in her hands. The grey-olive camouflaged plane made her cry. If only she could have flown.

[…]

Days later, Latorre buried in secret her sister beside Alfonso. She thought about keeping the plane, but she left it on the platform of her tombstone. Victoria Eugenia sneaked behind her.

"I am sorry for your sister."

Almirante Latorre caressed the plane.

"If I have flown like her… Maybe then."

"It saddens me to say that it might not have changed her destiny. Even with your planes, a surprise torpedo attack is still a surprise torpedo attack."

"Aren't you being harsh too early on me!"

"I do not know what happened but Alfonso herself was afraid of her end and her own fixation got her killed."

"I don't know what you are getting at?"

For Victoria, life was like a waterfall. It was a current that led to an end. At the end, there was multiple ways to fall. The water fell how the current pushed it down. The water falls until it meets the other current. When it happens, that water can only make slight adjustments until the inevitable end. What Victoria wanted to communicate to Latorre was that the death of Eagle should not influence the way she goes down that river, nor how she should fall.

"For a doll, you are pretty talkative," Latorre said.

"Years of observing."

They continued talking for a while. They were then joined by Geraes who knew where to find them.

"I don't think it is healthy to hang out in a cemetery," she said.

"What is the matter?"

"We have a visit from the Eagle Union. They finally woke up."

[…]

Two men they had not seen before were talking to each other in a playful manner. In front of them, a crowd of aircraft carriers and battleships waited. Not even one look alike. The Eagle Union had high-quality shipgirls. One battleship looked more like her. Her white hair almost looked like silver and contrasted with her chocolate skin.

South Dakota-class battleship – Massachusetts

"I'm Massachusetts. I'm just a regular old South Dakota-class you can find anywhere... So, yeah, I hope we can... get along," she said to Buiza.

"Hey commander!" Latorre said. "Who's our new visitors."

"My god if it isn't the defenders of Gibraltar. Your deeds are renown now," said a frank admiral whose hairline had retreated to the top of his head.

"Sir admiral Cunningham, Sir commander Whiting, here's Latorre, Minas Geraes, Rivadavia, Moreno of the Free Latin Union and Reina Victoria Eugenia of the Iberian Union."

Miguel Buiza stayed as polite as possible to not steer unnecessary drama with the Eagle Union higher-ups. Whiting, a man his height, seemed like a stereotypical commander of the Eagle Union with a complete blue uniform and white uniform that contrasted with the more black and brown uniform of Cunningham. They had come from the home islands to supervise the joint invasion of Vichya and Iberian territory in the south of Gibraltar. With these free naval bases, it would facilitate the invasion of Sardegnian territories. Buiza saw it as the liberation of Ceuta and the Canaries Islands. The Eagle Union would liberate Casablanca, Safi, Fedhala and Mehedia. The Azores, Cape Verde and Madeira had already been liberated days earlier without a fight.

Operation Torch was the name given to the operation concerning the invasion of Vichya's territories while Operation Backbone I concerned the invasion of Iberian's territories south of Gibraltar. The two main attacks were the submarines base of Ceuta and Islas Canarias. Buiza asked to lead the invasion of Ceuta. Canary would be given to another Royal Navy commander with Free Latin Union ships under his command.

When she heard the word submarine, Latorre immediately jumped on the offer to be in the supporting role in the invasion of Ceuta. Buiza calmed her as he had already the plans in hand. For the moment, she should relax along with her unit in the operation.

* * *

Operation Backbone I

Covering force

**BB** : Latorre / Reina Victoria Eugenia

**CL** : Almirante Grau / Coronel Bolognesi

**DD** : Douro / Antioquia

Close Escort

**DD** : Alsedo / José Luis Díez / Churruca / Almirante Valdes

* * *

[…]

Overall, the operation went as plan by the admiralty. In Ceuta, they met no opposition apart from submarines that ran through the little of ASW they had. Latorre fired in anger at the defense post and covered the men on the beach who met little opposition. The batteries of Santa Catalina were silenced by their heavy firepower.

Latorre's group entered the Bay of Ceuta and rested. Buiza occupied a little house on the coastline and formed his temporary shelter. News from all over the front came in that Massachusetts defeated the terrifying Jean Bart and they captured Casablanca in a fearsome battle. Additionally, bad news came from the Canarias where Afonso de Albuquerque was destroyed by shore batteries. Rivadavia and Moreno suffered light damage. In the middle of these crushing victories, Latorre felt exceeded by the events. She was missing her sister like Victoria was missing her mentor. The two of them would bath in the moon light in a heavy silence.

This silence was broken by the battleships Massachusetts, Texas and New-York who came to tell their goodbyes.

"It was a brief visit," Texas said. "We hope it helps to take back Madrid from these rascals."

"Every bit helps along the way. Thank you," Victoria said with her everlasting charm.

With this brief visit, they disappeared. Then it was the turn of the Formidable.

"If it is not royalty herself. We are lucky this night." Latorre said.

She bowed down raising her magnificent black dress.

"I was instructed by Cunningham to help in the retaking of Madrid."

Days later, Buiza was already talking about the last operation to take back Madrid. The final Operation Backbone II. This time, it would not be an easy walk in the park. He assembled a sizable fleet and got the help of the Eagle Union for it. It would be a force from all over the globe. A true Azur Lane formation.

[…]

Libertad, in her usual obedient manner, stayed by Buiza's side. The grand day was coming, and he was getting stressed as usual. This time, he was less worried. With the success of Backbone I and Torch. It seemed like the wind had turn. He just hoped that no other shipgirl would have to pay the ultimate price. They already had lost so much and their debt towards the Free Latin Union was immeasurable. His pressure came from the fact that he did not want to lose any more foreign shipgirls.

"Commander, be at ease as we do the heavy hands job."

"Continue your anti-aircraft work. I couldn't have asked for a better secretary than you."

She smiled.

* * *

Operation Backbone II

Covering force Center

**CV/CVL** : Formidable / Furious / Ranger / Santee (4)

**BB** : Latorre / Reina Victoria Eugenia (2)

**CL/H** : Brooklyn / Savannah / Libertad / Blaz de Lezo / Bartolomeu Dias / Almirante Brown (6)

**DD** : Douro / Antioquia / Pará / Amazonas / Mato Grosso / Císcar / Escaño / Gravina / Jorge Juan / Ulloa / Almirante Antequera / Buenos Aires / Mendoza (13)

Close Escort Center

**DD **: Alsedo / José Luis Díez / Churruca / Almirante Valdes (5)

Task Force North

**BB** : Rivadavia / Moreno (2)

**CL/H **: Miguel de Cervantes /Almirante Grau / Coronel Bolognesi / Veinticinco de Mayo (4)

**DD **: Paraná / Sergipe / La Rioja / Tucumán / Dao / Douro / Lima / Tejo (8)

Task Force South

**BB **: Malaya / Minas Geraes (2)

**CL/H **: Bahia / Rio Grande do Sul / Mendez Nunez / La Argentina (4)

**DD **: Rio Grande do Norte / Paraíba / Alagoas / Santa Catarina / Vouga / Antioquia / Caldas / Tamega (8)

Submarines

Narciso Monturiol / Cosme García / A-3 / B-1 / B-2 / B-3 / B-4 / B-5 / B-6 / Isaac Peral / C2 / C3 / C4 / C5 / C-6 / Espadarte / Hidra / Delfim / Golfinho / Santa Fe / Santiago del Estero / Salta (22)


	10. Departure

Madrid

Gerhard Wagner headed to a special room after he left his admiral office beside the deceased Blanco. Upon arrival, he had taken over the base under suspicious eyes. The situation was tense since their soldiers were occupying the various port around Iberia excepted for Barcelona given to Vichya for their contribution. It was a close naval base to call in Vichya's force for help. Wagner, for now, was preoccupied with draining those lands dry. Important war material like tungsten, chromium and nickel were countless on these lands.

His "Wagner Campaign" was going better than expected with no opposition or interference, but the recent fall of southern territories made bombing a recurring occurrence. The fall of Ceuta and Casablanca meant they were close to being attack in Madrid.

This prospect made his mind focused on one thing : exploit as much as possible before departing. When he picked the phone, his thought was to reassure Donitz that the supplies would continue to flow.

"Raeder here," said the voice on the other side.

"Wagner. Everything is going according to plan. Is anything the matter?"

"Actually, yes. Have you been sending us ghost ships full of commodities and resources? Is this a prank?"

"What do you mean, Großadmiral?"

"Not that we wouldn't use it, but since your exports are as good as Tiesenhausen in the Österreich, continue your work. We will further investigate those mysterious ships."

Wagner went back to his office with some pressure relieve of his shoulders. Iberia, rich lands, could be replaced by those "mysterious ships" in case of defeat. In his office, he immediately summoned Canarias. He wanted to know one thing for sure.

"Canarias, why did you choose us over Azur Lane when Victoria Eugenia decided to join them?"

Canarias looked unmoved. The blazing fire raged within her cube. Her sister and friends were gone. She was a shipgirl with nothing to lose and she was afraid to show it. Pity was not needed.

"Burn. I want to see everything burn."

Three hours in Operation Backbone II

Latorre and Reina Eugenia Victoria were following their destroyers squadron leading the charge. Behind their covering force, the close escort led their convoys to the beaches of Madrid. The carriers Formidable, Furious, Ranger and Santee were covered by Jorge Juan and Almirante Antequera. Underwater, twenty-two submarines would chase enemy submarines and convoys out of the area of battle.

Latorre looked at the bright sun. It was so calming before the impending battle. Somerville sent them on an optimistic note. For Reina Victoria Eugenia, it was returning home. Returning alone. It showed in her undecisive eyes. The cruiser's squadron ahead of them, around Buiza's gunboat, was talkative. Brooklyn was reining her sister Savannah who's teasing and energetic personality annoyed the commander slightly. Libertad, who came to his defense, was bothered by her undiplomatic attitude completely opposite to Brooklyn. If her sister could defuse a war, Savannah was a trigger.

"It seems animated in your battlegroup," Latorre commented.

"Can I join you?" Blaz de Lezo joked.

"Stay in formation!" said Bartolomeu Dias. "We have to make sure not to go far to not be mistaken as enemies by our air forces."

"You are right Dias," the heavy cruiser Almirante Brown said. "Stay focused. We will face a big opposition at Madrid."

Formidable and Santee launched their reconnaissance plane to watch for waves of enemy waves of planes. They went as far as five kilometers without spotting anything. On their way, Formidable saw the bombers formation heading for Madrid. The bright sun illuminated them like shooting targets. Nevertheless, they carried on. An hour passed.

"You are permitted to attack Madrid," Somerville voice confirmed through the radio.

Buiza showed himself on the deck addressing both the ships in his presence and the other forces through his wireless microphone on his uniform.

"To all forces, prepare to engage!"

Different voices responded simultaneously.

"Finally, some good action!" said Veinticinco de Mayo.

"To all forces, good luck," Malaya said.

"The one with the lowest results will get extra lessons!" Ranger shouted.

[…]

Madrid

Shell holes were everywhere, but nothing was left to burn. Canarias was fixated on the remaining building leveled to the ground. Only debris. Small flames of destruction. One single bomber was hit by anti-air fire from Köln. The wreck exploded on the leveled _Palacio_ and burned brightly like a campfire. The bombers went back home while Canarias never fired her guns. Deutschland shook her to take her away from the clouds.

"What are you doing!"

Canarias' usual green eyes had a reddish halo. The pocket battleship usually confident attitude stood back in awe. Everything changed since Baleares death. She took an ammo of her 203mm. The tip was glowing red. Deutschland then smile awkwardly.

" It seems you are ready for the battle."

"I'll incinerate every ship to the last with my explosive shells."

"Don't you think it's a bit extreme?"

Deutschland's shark teeth became little inoffensive tips when she met the pernicious stare of Canarias looking down upon her. Canarias caressed Deutschland's cheek.

"I'll hunt their convoy and set them ablaze. Prepare for the concerto of fire."

[…]

The carriers airwings were battling it out in the sky. Meanwhile, torpedo bombers were trying to pass and drop their load. Latorre unleashed her Pom-Pom guns whose sustained fire transformed Laté.298, SM-79 and Ju-87 in small balls of flames. Victoria Eugenia maintained the same anti-air formation as her counterpart. The light cruisers protected Buiza with all their available guns. On his gunboat, a sailor was manning the single 37mm autocannon.

They were not surprised when shells landed near them. Schleswig-Holstein, Schlesien, Sachsen and Württemberg short range batterie mattered little when they were wrestling at less than three kilometers.

"Formidable, Ranger, we are counting on you!" Latorre said.

Ranger launched a second wave.

[Battle A-1]

While Libertad was busy dealing with the aircrafts and the incoming destroyers, near misses splashed the water setting ablaze Bartolomeu Dias. These shots did not come from Deutschland, Köln Navarra or Almirante Cervera. To the south, less than one kilometer from their formation, Libertad saw a fearless silhouette.

"Santa Fe, Salta, slow her down!"

Two silhouettes surfaced in front of her and shot their torpedoes. Canarias damaged them; she had no time to dodge the torpedoes.

[Battle A-2]

The torpedoes detonation engulfed Canarias in smoke. Libertad fired in the wall of smoke and was met with return fire. Canarias' broadside met Buiza's gunboat whose bow disappeared below the waves. The ship's rear rapidly angled toward the sky. Almirante Brown kept the rest of the conning tower from slipping beneath the waves. Brown's veins seemed like bright purple strings. Libertad rushed to the help of her commander who was untying the rescue raft.

"Do not worry about me! We need to stop Canarias from reaching the convoy!"

Libertad looked around. From the cloud of smoke, Canarias had emerged with her whole attention on the destroyers escorting the landing crafts.

"Lezo! Follow me!" Libertad screamed.

[Battle A-3]

Santee, seeing the troublemaker, diverted her air wings to harass the cruiser. Canarias anti-air power was almost impenetrable. The combination of Royal Navy's 40mm and Ironblood 37mm offered little windows of opportunity to descend upon her. Formidable swordfishes switched target and dropped torpedoes far from her target hoping she would take evasive maneuver.

"Is she crazy!" Furious shouted.

While her anti-air was keeping planes at bay, Canarias pursued into the torpedoes. Her guns were pummeling the landing craft and the powerless destroyers. Alsedo was dead in the water. Churruca's torpedoes detonated leaving bleeding in the arms of Almirante Valdes. Seeing the chaos that was closing in, the crafts diverted from their straight line. Canarias fire obliterated the leading ship reduce to a burning wreck.

Libertad and Lezo opened fire on Canarias from point blank range.

[Battle A-4]

The firefight was fierce. While Lezo and Libertad had the rate of fire, Canarias large caliber and high explosive seemed to pierce even water vaporizing it. Libertad second turret was torn open by a shell. She blew the little fire when a shockwave caught her attention.

Lezo's legs were still visible, but her body was engulfed in flame. Lezo's body fell in the water and sank without Libertad being able to move an inch. The shocked cruiser cried her name. The oil at the surface was the only proof left of her existence.

Canarias' laughs could be heard.

"Her fire burned brightly, but only for a few seconds. A few seconds of ecstasy!"

Lost in her fantasies, she did not see Lezo's and Libertad torpedoes closing in. She was struck in her right leg reducing her speed. Libertad closed in despite Canarias' insane firepower. Each shells felt like a burning meteor. Her outfit was reduced to scraps by multiple fires. Suddenly, Canarias, seeing her batterie totally useless to stop her angry enemy, and Libertad stopped firing at each other. Canarias was holed and most of her guns were disabled while Libertad was on fire and most of her batteries had disappeared under her enemy's shells.

Libertad's clench fist was stopped by Canarias strong grip.

"**It will take more than this to bring me down**!" screamed Canarias whose bloody eyes fixed her enemy.

"_**No Pasaran**_!" Libertad replied with a fierce stare.

[…]

The task force in the north led by Rivadavia repelled the Crimson Axis submarines and destroyed the coastal guns. Mola ran from the battlefield swearing to get her revenge. Veinticinco de Mayo tried to run over her but failed to even catch up to her. Almirante Grau stopped her.

"New orders. We must regroup with our central force."

"Let's hope some good fights are going on there. This was disappointing."

"Big preys. The four Ironblood battleships are there," Miguel de Cervantes said.

Without another second lost, they were rushing toward the scene.

[…]

In the south, Sanjurjo and her wolfpack were pushed back. Suicide boats were neutralized. Coastal batteries were silenced. They received the alert from Latorre. Their help would be needed in the center. Malaya and Minas Geraes rallied their cruiser squadrons and rushed to the scene.

[…]

Latorre and Reina Victoria Eugenia were battered by dive bombers and shells from the four Ironblood battleships. Even if their modernization only consisted of new main armament caliber and anti-air guns, the veterans showed no mercy to their old allies with their damage. In the chaos, Buiza and his crew joined the convoy with the wounded Bartolomeu Dias who had lost all guns to fire damage. Almirante Brown, Brooklyn and Savannah took the helm to lead the destroyers against their enemies who seemed less than willing to fight.

[…]

After Wagner dismissed Canarias, he requested Deutschland and Köln. He had a simple order for them to tell the fleet. He did not feel any remorse nor worried. The mines would be sabotaged. They will be gone in an explosive spectacle.

"Only play with them. I will prepare the last shipment and my ships; we will depart. Upon my signal, you will run and traverse to the south to meet with our convoy. Shoot to kill if necessary."

Deutschland wondered what the admiral was thinking but their commander Wilhelm Langsdorff did not seem to have receive any signal.

"Do we continue the shelling?"

"Just damage them. We don't need to kill for now," he replied.

Their guns were almost worn out.

[Battle B-1]

Weirdly, the dive-bombers and torpedo-bombers, instead of landing on the airfield of Madrid, went over the town and disappeared. Latorre had a glimpse of the planes vanishing at the horizon beyond the island. She knew what they were trying to do but they did not have enough forces to put the pressure on them. Then, the northern and southern forces closed in.

"Taste this you old hag!" Malaya shouted.

"If it isn't our little friend," Schleswig-Holstein said.

"The situation is suddenly to our disadvantage," said her sister.

Ranger's TBF Avengers launched their torpedoes.

[Battle B-2]

A shockwave followed by a mushroom cloud of a fiery color transformed the blue sky in an inferno. The city disappeared behind a wall of smoke. The powerful waves stopped the battle in his track. Reina Victoria Eugenia had her eyes set on the explosion. The city was annihilated definitively in less than a second.

While they were distracted, the Crimson Axis ships ran away to the south where they met Malaya's formation.

"Where do you think you are going!?" she said.

[Battle B-3]

The cruisers Bahia, Rio Grande do Sul, Mendez Nunez and La Argentina were suddenly stuck in a brawl with the enemy destroyers. They had overshot their distance by a mile. Torpedoes were flying right and left. The firefight left Ironblood and their allies concerned about their escape. The explosion had acted as a great smoke cover, but their enemies had blocked the southern exit.

Deutschland passed her destroyers cover and fire on everything.

"Any carriers! We need your help," insisted Geraes.

"We can't do nothing with this smoke cloud!" Formidable answered.

They were on their own.

A silhouette caught fire for a moment, then smoke and debris covered their surroundings. Malaya could not see anything neither could Geraes. Rio Grande do Sul and Mendez Nunez voices could be heard in the smoke. Malaya rushed to their voice. She found them at the feet of Bahia. The dismembered cruiser rested in a pool of blood and oil. The rigging had already disappeared beneath the waves. Malaya and Gereas stood immobile as Rio Grande do Sul embraced her sister's body.

Geraes searched in a frenzy for her enemies in the walls of smoke. To the east, out of the volcanic-like clouds, she found traces of no one.

[…]

Canarias offered a godly resistance to Libertad. They were stuck with letting their fist do the talking. Their destroyed riggings could not be release or else Libertad knew the cost. Canarias seemed in the same position. Their fists met. Libertad lost her hat and was pushed back.

"You are quite the enemy to fight."

"You are lucky I can't fire anymore."

From the sky, Santee's and Furious' planes tried to hit Canarias whose anti-air guns were the only thing left working on her riggings. The last 40mm AA gun was silenced by fighters.

[Battle B-4]

"It seems to be the end for me," commented Canarias.

A glaring and deafening explosion interrupted their battle. Like a volcano explosion, ashes fell from the sky like the snow in winter. The sky became gray and black. When Libertad stopped focusing on the cloud, Canarias had disappeared. Libertad looked around the convoys, the island and endless seas around her. Canarias had vanished.

Libertad declared to the sky, "I promised to find you and we will settle our battle Canarias!"

[…]

For minutes now, Espadarte, Delfim and Santiago del Estero had been tailing Ironblood forces. They saw the admiral of Ironblood, Wagner. The convoy, in all, was transporting material and evacuating their workers. The submarines did not want to blow their cover. They waited.

They were presented with the dilemma of firing at an important target. Their consensus was to only follow them to their new base and signal it to bombers. They stayed submerged. The group followed the trails in the water left by the enemy ships. They were joined by the defenders of Madrid which left Santiago del Estero perplexed. What had happened?

Suddenly, the trails stopped. When they surfaced, they found nothing but a fog. They had vanished.

[…]

Somewhere

"They seem more and more able to use our technology," Tester β said.

Observer α, still glued to her screen, took notes and gave them to the Compiler with a satisfied grin.

"Ironblood has reverse-engineered our teleportation device. Seems like Bismarck wasn't a waste after all."

"You said a battle would follow?"

"Yes," the Observer said, "now that they have the technology, they can teleport instead of traversing the Rhine river every time.

Indeed, the only corridor of water that could transport shipgirl from the north to the Mediterranean was the Rhine River that had been included in the shape shifting of the world. It exited through the Adriatic Sea by the port of Venezia. It had helped with funneling the U-Boats in the Mediterranean instead of taking the Gibraltar pass or any passage through Iberian territories.

And with the reliable usage of the teleportation device, a new specimen had been born. Observer α took interest in Canarias' tainted cube. Such an insatiable appetite for destruction. She would be forever a thorn in Azur Lane's side. For now, she would need Ironblood resources and technology to repair her which in the end would make her part of the Ironblood fleet as the only Iberian ship to stay with them.

"Now with the main dishes. In less than two week, Salerno will be the ground to a grand battle."

[…]

Madrid

In the end, the explosion was a result of the sabotage of an ammunition warehouse that obliterated a part of the city. For miles, the slums had been erased and the destruction left the inhabitants in shock. Soon, Brooklyn and Savannah departed for Sardegna. They decorated the shipgirls that participated in the liberation of Madrid. It was but a consolation in front of the loss of close one. Not a single cemetery or monument could stop their sorrows.

Minas Geraes had to accept the loss of her sisters.

Rio Grande do Sul and Mendez Nunez lost their sister in the same battle.

Bartolomeu Dias lost her sister in Operation Backbone I

Latorre lost her sister during Operation Julius.

The Royal Navy had already lost most of the defenders of Gibraltar by that point. Exeter, Cairo, Cossack, Lively and numerous submarines.

Reina Victoria Eugenia had to accept her new role in the resuscitated Iberian Navy. As an accomplice in Alfonso's plot, she decided to repent herself by helping the people. She ferried supplies from Gibraltar to destroyed capital. No amount of help could redeem her passiveness and debt to Alfonso. She decided to be free like Alfonso instructed her to be. She had a legacy to continue. But what legacy? Her memory about the moment seemed fuzzy. She had the words on the tip of her tongue.

Only meaningless babbles came out.

"What are you whispering?" Latorre asked after helping moving rubbles.

"Alfonso said something important to me, but I can't remember."

"If you can't remember, then it might have not been important."

Victoria Eugenia resigned herself. She would remember it another time. For now, she wanted to help as much people as possible. The days passed under the Mediterranean sun. The only turbulence was a seismic shock wave that shook the entire Mediterranean. The next day, Latorre visited Victoria Eugenia a last time.

"So, your punishment is to stay as a symbol from now on?"

Victoria answered, "Unfortunately, yes. I can't secure funds for my retrofit or modernization. My obsolescence leaves me with no usefulness apart from transporting, helping and anti-air defense in case of bombing, but it doesn't seem to materialize."

"Well then. It was an honor your highness (Victoria blushed). Azur Lane has a retrofit ready for me at the home island. I am going back after so many years… alone."

"At least, you accomplished Eagle's wishes."

"She told you?!"

"I happened to be a good spy," Victoria said with a little laugh.

"You eavesdropped on us that night?"

For Victoria, the moon had never been so beautiful from her window just below Latorre and Eagle's room. They shook hands one last time. Eugenia Victoria waved her personal tissues to the _Free Latin Union_ units disappearing on the horizon. She turned around and faced Libertad, Bartolomeu Dias, Miguel de Cervantes, Mendez Nunez, the destroyers and the submarines left. In those ranks, new faces emerged since they had surrender and promised to not wage war anymore. It was the destroyers Velasco, Marte, Neptuno, Jupiter and Vulcano. Libertad and Miguel de Cervantes pulled her sister, Almirante Cervera, from the crowd and teased her in front of the crowd. The cruiser became shy.

"It is a new day for Iberia. We have endured month of intense battles. Let us decide our fate granted by Azur Lane and move forward from our differences. Let us build together. Let us not forget those who are not there to celebrate with us together. They shall forever rest, breathless, in our water as monuments to our effort to defend what we believe in. Let us forgive those who ventured the wrong track. Long live to the Iberian people! Glory be with Azur Lane for our debts is immeasurable and eternal!" she shouted.

At the end of the crowd, she saw a figure in a blue uniform. He had his thumbs up. She smiled. Buiza lowered his cap and was about to leave the small destroyed yard that the girl used for repair. He was intercepted by Navarra who had joined after her surrender during the battle. She was just too slow to run away with Deutschland.

"Where were you going commander?" she said in a loud manner.

"You happened to miss the cool speech of Reina Victoria Eugenia. Are you that slow?"

"Yes, but they aren't," Navarra pointed behind him.

Libertad, Cervantes, Dias and Nunez lift him on their shoulders without him being able to resist and was laid on the platform where Victoria Eugenia had made her speech. The crowd cheered the man who hastily put back his beret on.

"All of this wouldn't have been possible without the help of a brave commander Buiza!" claimed Victoria.

"Oh. Common, common! I didn't do that much. Espana…"

The cheered intensified and he could not finish his sentence. They screamed the word admiral over and over. When it calmed down, he had all pair of eyes fixated on him. Libertad gave him a thumbs-up.

"I would never trade my rank for a higher one. No matter my accomplishments because I get the most of my day by being beside you."

Later that day, he could be found at the hospital after being almost crushed by their embrace.

Gibraltar

The little submarine Leonardo di Vinci, excited to return home after a great hunt, had sent a message to the supreme headquarter at _Città Eterna _to signal her return. She was happy that she had now more stories to tell Cesare. Suddenly, shockwaves undermined her rigging that started sinking from multiple holes. She tried to surface, but the unresponsive rigging filed with water dragged her like an anchor. The depth suffocated her. Before the darkness engulfed her, she let go of the hat. After all, it was Cesare's.

Earlier, decoders had intercepted a signal and traced it back to a location south of Gibraltar. HMS Active had gone to the scene to depth charged the target. The destroyer had no idea if she had hit the jackpot. She went back to base when she saw nothing surface.

[…]

In the night, after Giulio Cesare had buried her sister's hat, she spotted a feinted light in the distance. The battleship met a small group by luck. Latorre, Geraes, Rivadavia and Moreno were drinking coca tea around a campfire. The four battleships were so surprised by the Sardignian girl that they thought of taking their riggings when they remembered the surrender of Sardegna one day ago. They invited the stranger to their talk when they were joined by Conte di Cavour that was searching for her sister.

Cesare was drinking the calming and invigorating drink. Cavour joined their talks.

"I thought you were missing since I didn't see you in your room all days," Cavour said while unloading her rigging.

"How did you know where to find me?"

"Somerville relayed me to Latin Union's battleship reported to have been seen on the beach of Gibraltar. I just found you with them!"

"Somerville has some good eyes," laughed Moreno.

They talked all night about their lost friends, sisters, philosophy, war stories and they ended up their night with a toast to the dead before going to sleep on their cold blanket on the sand.

"Let us fight for the living and let the dead rest," Cavour said while glancing at Cesare.

Cesare, while tired of her moral philosophy, never could have hoped for a better sister.

[…]

Österreich, Buda Castle

Months before the Liberation of Madrid

"This is how things will unfold, Eugen," said the prophets in front of the Ironblood heavy cruiser Prinz Eugen.

"You are quite a formidable opponent at chess," Prinz Eugen said while wiping the board after being checkmated. "The same thing cannot be said for your stories. Maybe a little bit of outside wouldn't hurt your head, Tegetthoff."

"I am not joking, you travesty!"

"Diedrich is negotiating with Miklós. You wouldn't want to stain our relations so soon, do you? And Duilio should arrive shortly anyway to calm you down."

'We should have sent the old guard, not me! I hate talking to walls.'

The walls of the castle seemed more talkative than the rambling Tegetthoff who spoke but did not discuss anything of value to her. The Österreich battleship talked about Ironblood's defeat in the north, in the south, the walls closing in, Vichya's temporary alliance and the cataclysm of Salerno. Prinz Eugen did not buy her garbage talk. She just waited for Duilio to arrive as soon as possible before she decided to fire a round at her host.

"Our talks are but disguises that will end in anything. Our rotten empire shall die once and for all beside you!" Tegetthoff shouted to the ceiling.

'She is completely bunkers. What did the Great War do to her?' thought Prinz Eugen. She laid back and said, "This time, we are at war prepared. We have new weapons from our brilliant scientists. We have resources to last for months and we have one the best industries in the world. And you still insist that we will lose?"

"Even if you are entrusted with the best technology, without guidance and purpose, what are ya doing? You would not even come close to me and my sistas. We were jewels of this time."

"You are starting to piss me off, Tegetthoff. I like playing but your attitude is intolerable… What is those 'sista' you are talking about anyway?"

"SMS Szent István, SMS Viribus Unitis and SMS Prinz Eugen."

"Quite the fancy name… Wait! Prinz Eugen?!"

"Let me tell you a story…"

Prinz Eugen was all ears.

* * *

**TO BE CONTINUED IN THE NEXT STORY : MEMORIES OF AN ÖSTERREICH**

(First chapter to be released on the 24 of May)

(Thank you for reading! We can always dream for Spanish/Portuguese ships to be added to AL)


End file.
